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U.S. Watchdog Urges Delay In Delivering More Aircraft To Afghanistan

July 16, 2014
by RFE/RL

The U.S. government watchdog charged with overseeing aid to Afghanistan has recommended delaying the delivery of additional cargo aircraft to the nascent Afghan Air Force (AAF).

John Sopko, special inspector-general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), said the AAF may not need all the C-130 airplanes to be provided by the U.S. military in a deal worth over $100 million.

The U.S. military has already delivered two C-130 cargo aircraft, with plans to deliver two more.

In a July 10 letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other top U.S. military officials, Sopko questioned whether the AAF was making full use of the aircraft.

He said elimination of a single C-130 could save U.S. taxpayers up to $40.5 million.

SIGAR disclosed the contents of the letter on July 16.

With reporting by 'The Wall Street Journal'

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/watchdog-afghanistan-sopko- aircraft-letter-armed-forces-usa/25459401.html

Copyright (c) 2014. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.