it is bleak in afghanistan. but just as general jones did in 2008, i am hereto, as you alluded to, to issue a warning. the international community must apply the lessons that we all bitterly learned over the last 20 years, lest this urgent humanitarian aid, which many people are discussing -- the un just announced a large aid program yesterday -- unless that aid is wasted again or is stolen or is diverted to the taliban. as you mentioned, since 2009, my agency, the special inspector general for afghanistan reconstruction, commonly called sigar, has overseen all u.s. funded reconstruction programs there. we have issued over 700 reports making recommendations to improve reconstruction efforts. all told, sigar's auditors and investigators have saved the u.s. taxpayer over $4 billion. i think i can start by saying that, like others before them, the taliban is learning the bitter lessons, that winning is not the same as governing. since their takeover last august, the afghan economy has cratered, according to the wor

it is bleak in afghanistan. but just as general jones did in 2008, i am hereto, as you alluded to, to issue a warning. the international community must apply the lessons that we all bitterly learned over the last 20 years, lest this urgent humanitarian aid, which many people are discussing -- the un just announced a large aid program yesterday -- unless that aid is wasted again or is stolen or is diverted to the taliban. as you mentioned, since 2009, my agency, the special inspector general for afghanistan reconstruction, commonly called sigar, has overseen all u.s. funded reconstruction programs there. we have issued over 700 reports making recommendations to improve reconstruction efforts. all told, sigar's auditors and investigators have saved the u.s. taxpayer over $4 billion. i think i can start by saying that, like others before them, the taliban is learning the bitter lessons, that winning is not the same as governing. since their takeover last august, the afghan economy has cratered, according to the wor

the afghanistan the taliban took over in 1996 97 was profoundly different from the afghanistan they have taken over recently. they have to live with that. they have to cope with that. they have to deal with that situation and that i think is the sense that many investments were made. many people are saying all those investments are wasted. number all the investments made in 20 years between 2001 and 2021 have changed the country and have made it impossible or anybody to rule it in a way that was tried 25 years ago so there's a difference there. but what does it mean for us? it means we are dealing with complex aspects of that ideology and that motive governments. but that was so obvious to me even in the few days i spent there and it's certainly obvious to me, obvious to colleagues ofmine that day in and day out are dealing with the taliban.they're not a homogeneous group . there's different constituencies. they have also have to cater to certain constituencies but there is certainly a vast among the taliban with whom we can talk also about the difficult issues that we have mentioned esp

this is how horrific it is in afghanistan right now. what kind of difficulties are you encountering in delivering food to the people in need? there, we've been operating in afghanistan before the taliban took over in and quite frankly, it's been quite remarkable. the access that we have, the taliban, i have met with our teams have met with out in the provinces as well as in cobble. and they have assured us allowing us to operate in partially independently, naturally. and they've honored that we've been able to operate do what we need to do to reach the innocent victims of this conflict if we get the money that we need . and that's our biggest limitation right now we can reach the afghan people without any one including the taliban, interfering with our operations in that extremely important for us. that is a humanitarian effort. enough sanctions and asset freezes have been applied to the taliban since they came into government and they're hitting the tanami in afghanistan. heart should these measures be reconsidered? so the long term so

then to afghanistan. pres. biden: there is no way to get out of afghanistan after 20 years easy. not possible, no matter when you did it. and, no apologies for what i did. amy: as president biden defends withdrawing u.s. troops from afghanistan,e ignorethe devastating role u.s. sanctions are now playing in the country. we will speak to jane ferguson. her latest piece "afghanistan , has become the world's largest humanitarian crisis." and we will look at how the biden administration was in court this week defending its use of title 42, the trump-era policy which allows the u.s. to expel recently arrived migrants without due process. all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. secretary of state antony blinken met with russian foreign minister sergei lavrov in geneva today. it's the highest level talks between the u.s. and russia since president biden warned that a russian invasion of ukraine appears likely and that it would prompt a "a severe and coordinated economic response." the u.s. says 100,000 russian

they're struggling here enough, a western afghanistan. they're struggling with the water quality of water they can pump up is sol team, so they cannot drink it. and they cannot afford to buy drinking water. so yeah, i mean that the situation is, is extremely frustrating or obviously fast, but extremely much more foot for the people who suffers with these sanctions. and there's no doubt that the people of afghanistan and that are kind of caught in the middle. they're paying the price for this sanctions, and that that's a huge concern and the money that that was in the appeal, it's a lot of money. but in the current situation, this will only lasts for a few months to, to save lives. that the real problem and is that the economy is a free fall. we need to restart the economy. all right, well, we have run out of time to we're going to have to leave the conversation there. thanks so much. all of our guests christian chips and symbol khan and harun raimie . and thank you to for watching, you can see the program again any time by visiting our we

helmand is the largest province in afghanistan. it was the site of the most amount of fighting between the taliban, and american and british troops. it remains a taliban stronghold. elias daei was an award—winning reporter for radio free europe, well known for his bravery. aged 1a when american troops arrived, he was 33 when he was killed. on the morning of his death, elias was travelling in the capital lashkargah when a bomb attached to his car exploded. elias lived with three generations of his family. the youngest, his two—year—old daughter. her name meant kindness. as part of the us—taliban deal, the taliban had committed to reducing violence. in the weeks leading up to his death, elias reported on a new taliban offensive in helmand. soon after, his house was searched and the day before he was killed, he sent a text to a colleague believing his life was in danger. targeted and killed since the us taliban deal of february 2020. journalists are the eyes and ears of people. they are the voice of people. ruling powers are a

the portuguese authorities had got them out of afghanistan. his mother in germany is hoping she'll get to see her son soon. somewhere in europe. i thought oh my gosh hollis, i'm satisfied. i'm in safety. my son is safe in portugal and i'm very happy about that or to push his though. ah, can you stand on her own 2 feet again? i wish for god to bring peace to afghanistan thunderbolt so that we couldn't return to our home and better off than we were before. kennimore beaudet supported me now . now did he and her family can stay in germany for the next 3 years of roha goes to school here or the family will soon be relocated to camp closer to berlin. they're still collecting donations to help the people in afghanistan. ah, tattoo artists and the european union will have to limit themselves to a much smaller pallet of colors from now on. you official say a new ban on thousands of chemicals used in tattoo inks, will protect the public for hazardous substances that could cause cancer and other illnesses. one last design in blue before the new e rules

it's afghanistan's 1st and only national park. the area usually attracts thousands of visitors a year. all that changed with the taliban take over now its deserted, the normally busy kiosks, empty and padlocked. goblin hill? it used to be very good and all there was scheme, programs and competitions in the winter. the used to be so many tourists, but since the taliban came in the last 4 months we haven't seen any tourists in bondo mia. do you see that the one is will the band ended 90? to day visitors are greeted by arm taliban soldiers and vehicle inspections. afghans once flocked to bondi, amir looking for a break from decades of conflict. the region prospered, but now it's taken a double hit from the pandemic, and the economic crisis following the taliban victory, said merlin, when them it's 70 to 80 families living in the village. and the livelihoods depend entirely on tourism couldn't be always thought if their cheers, their income is good. if not one, they have nothing. when monsieur, without the tourists, the striking beaut

the portuguese authorities had got them out of afghanistan. his mother in germany is hoping she'll get to see her son soon. somewhere in europe. oh my gosh hollis, i'm satisfied. i'm in safety. my son is safe in portugal and i'm very happy about that, or is it pushes through? ah, can he wouldn't stand on her own 2 feet again? i wish for god to bring peace to afghanistan sounded more so that we couldn't return to our home, and better off than we were before. kennimore bore dest supported me now, now did he, and her family can stay in germany for the next 3 years. ha, ha, ha, goes to school here, or the family will soon be relocated to a camp closer to berlin. they're still collecting donations to help the people in afghanistan. finally, heavy snow and strong winds are disrupting transport links across much of the southeastern united states. several government of offices in washington d. c, have had to shut down. but the icy conditions also brought hundreds out to join in a mass noble fight. the crowd split into 2 sides on the national mole to p

all of afghanistan. he brings to this job 30 years of experience working on the hill, working in government and so, we look to him to give us some ideas for the future on how to protect the afghan people. now, we know that some 146 billion dollars of u.s. money has been spent on the row construction effort. and tens of thousands of lives have been lost, including coalition forces, taliban insurgents, and countless of civilians, not to mention those who died in terrorism and military action inside pakistan. meanwhile, the u.s. will support those 850 billion dollars in the region of afghanistan only to depart in a hurried fashion after casting a safe departure deal with the taliban. and the west and coalition support, especially for the airport that gave them full advantage over the taliban. the result was the inevitable and sudden collapse of the afghan government and the entry of the taliban into kabul. the aftermath has been chaotic and it reminds them of the vigil in which the character laments sadly t

is the lack of that money hindering aid relief in afghanistan. it entering more on the economy and that money is needed to be released to shore up trade and investment in the country. and also as a contribution towards paying salaries for health care workers for education workers in the country at the moment. is it an economic standstill because there is no investment and because all assets have been frozen, so it is critical that a resolution is found to, to release those funds, but also to open up the banking system again. and western leaders and officials were the austin, there were demanding of the polar bond improve women's and minority rights in the country before any money is released to the group. do you think that should be the priority right now? personally i believe very strongly that what is needed for this country is a solution for the economic crisis, but humanitarian assistance needs to be able to get into the country and to reach the people who need it. it's not for nothing that the un has just launched one of the largest or the l

but the taliban sees themselves as the government of afghanistan. they're arguing every day that they are the legitimate government. and if they have a legitimate government, then they need to provide rule of law and they need to respect human rights. and that's their obligation under international law. and so we make recommendations to them based on their obligation, not based on their behavior. now we're talking a day off to talks would bring the polar bond on, burson officials, ended in all slower. this spoke about human rights. and you might have heard an aid that you think algebra to q writes or of guns is a priority for western missions. i actually question whether human rights are a priority for western nations period. i'm in the osland meeting was was disturbing, honestly because, you know, we had this terrible kind of collision of images of the taliban beating women's rights protesters about a week and a half ago and spraying them with pepper spray and then rating the homes of 2 of them and arresting them at night on wednesday night last we

. 0ver100,000 afghanistan. over 100,000 people fled. now, with access to the new taliban government, i want to find out that the country is like under their rule. they face a country shattered by war. the economy is close to collapse and millions face starvation. every baby and child and here is in a critical state. wejust don't child and here is in a critical state. we just don't know if they are going to make it. and this one—time terrorist group now faces a new terror threat of can the taliban form a government that can put their violent past behind them and help rebuild this broken country? the last time i was in afghanistan, it was two months before the taliban took kabul. almost everyone i've met then, members of the former government, human rights activist and journalists have since led the country in fear of reprisals from the new taliban government. routes into the country beginning to reopen, i'd decided to head back to afghanistan to see for myself what life was like for those who stayed behind. i

all sit together with the afghanistans? mr. landberg: we had one meeting that i'm aware of with russia and china, there's a press statement on that. we've had interaction with both countries where we highlight and also there's been actually interaction in the united nations as well. so there's a number of fora where we interact with both and highlight our major concerns about afghanistan, what we expect of the taliban and also what we expect of the countries in the region to do. mr. grothman: deunl terror networks will begin to reform in afghanistan? do you think terror networks will reform in afghanistan? mr. landberg: so, we're very concerned about terrorist threats in afghanistan. and i think there have been a number of public comments on isis-k threats in particular put also potentially over time al qaeda threats emanating from afghanistan. we are monitoring it closely and we are putting in place not just the unilateral over the horizon capability to degrade that threat but also to bolster capabilities in the rescron. mr. g

poverty and hunger is now affecting nearly everyone in afghanistan. there is a increasing concern that terrorist groups are using this to recruit and to challenge the new found authority of the taliban. isis in the khorasan, also known as isis—k, are the regional affiliate of the islamic state. during the taliban takeover, thousands of isis militants escaped from jail, swelling the ranks of the terror group. i received news that an isis operative had detonated a suicide vest in a clash with the taliban police. we have been called here by the taliban police who wanted to show us an isis sleeper cell that they recently attacked. so, what happened here? do you have reports of who they were and what their background is? despite the assurances of abdul karim, a string of deadly isis attacks have erupted across afghanistan in recent months, many targeting ethnic shias. one of the most devastating was a suicide bombing of a shia mosque in october that claimed the lives of 50 worshippers. one who lost his life was haji. as well as attacks from isis—k, mem

the portuguese authorities had got them out of afghanistan. his mother in germany is hoping she'll get to see her son soon. somewhere in europe. oh my gosh hollis, i'm satisfied. i'm in safety. my son is safe in portugal and i'm very happy about that, or is it pushes through. ah, can you stand on her own 2 feet again? i wish for god to bring peace to afghanistan sounded more so that we couldn't return to our home, and better off than we were before. kennimore bore dest support that mina now did. he and her family can stay in germany for the next 3 years. roha goes to school here, or of the family will soon be relocated to a camp closer to berlin. they still collecting donations to help the people in afghanistan or migrants here in europe, often face difficulties and prejudice when trying to find jobs. and that's particularly true for some muslim women. d, w has been speaking with one woman of moroccan origin in belgium, who hasn't that setbacks in the conventional job market? hold her back, she's taken matters into her own hands. lights, tamar

the afghanistan that the taliban took over in 1996, 1997, was profoundly different than the afghanistan that they have taken over reenltly. and -- recently. and they have to live with that. they have to cope with that. they have to deal with that situation. and that, i think, is positive in the sense that many investments were made. many people are saying all those investments are wasted. no. i think all the investments made in 20 years between 2001 and 2021 have changed the country and have made it impossible for anybody to rule it in the way that was tried to -- was tried 25 years ago. so there's a difference there. and what does it mean for us? it means, of course, we're still dealing with complex aspects of that ideology and that mode of governance. remember, that was so obvious to me in the few days i spent there and certainly obvious to me -- obvious to colleagues of mine that day in day out are dealing with the taliban, they are not a homogenius group. they are diverse. different constituencies. they have also catered to certain constituencies. i think there is a vast substantial

of norway in afghanistan. can you talk about how the situation today compares and what you think needs to happen? >> there hasn't been this kind of a dramatic collapse in the economy of afghanistan within months ever before i think. what happened really in august when the taliban took over and the nato countries went for the door was they left behind 40 million civilians come the same 40 million civilians they had defended with a trillion dollar military campaign over the past 20 years. same women and children come the same doctors and nurses and teachers and someone. what we have seen and i have 1400 colleagueon the ground, relief workers on the ground. what we have seen now is it is not the taliban that is holding us back, it is the sanctions, there is no banking at all, and the teachers and nurses and doctorare not being paid because the salaries are sitting in washington and it is with the world bank. the u.s. and the other members of the world bank are not releasing this money. so a lot of things have to

certainly it's a mistake for the people of afghanistan. well in fact, as trumps feel, the date of a withdrawal was made the 1st you don't think that makes any difference. now look, i think all by and did was extended a couple months and it showed how, how little planning had been done, either by the trump administration or by for the execution to withdraw itself. and i should note my own polling on this subject. i think of firms what other people have observed that while at the beginning, many people said the withdrawal itself was executed poorly and no question about that. but it's caused them to rethink the consequences. the withdrawal itself, the return of taliban to power, the greater risk of terrorist attack, obviously calls into question the legitimacy of the withdrawal of decision. fundamentally, i think people now realize we are less secure after the withdrawal than we were before the withdraw. you said that biden changed in that answer in a way. what do you, i mean, he said when he was helping to confirm you at the state departmen

can one distribute aid in afghanistan without cooperation with taliban? we have been able to do a fairly comprehensive winterized ation program, distributing blanket shell tickets. non food items, kids with buckets and kitchen kids, stows to to ensure that people have the minimum to be able to provide and cook for that needs to keep them warm through the winter months. so yes, it is possible and much, much more of that assistance is needed to keep people. busy alive and well through particularly through the very harsh winter season. we have snow on the ground at the moment so and at night minus 13 degrees. so people who are living in very temporary shelters with plastic sheeting wooden frames, they need all the help they can get to be able to survive these very cosh conditions. pauline bellman from the norwegian refugee council that opened to me while the taliban engages and talks of kindness and minorities are left in desperation. a new report for human rights watch and outright action international says the countries as g. b t q community is facing dead

this is how horrific it is in afghanistan right now. what kind of difficulties are you encountering in delivering food to the people in need? there, we've been operating in afghanistan before the taliban took over in and quite frankly, it's been quite remarkable. the access that we have, the taliban, i have met with our teams have met with out in the provinces as well as in cobble. and they have assured us allowing us to operate in partially independently neutrally. and dave honored that we've been able to operate, do what we need to do to reach the innocent victims of this conflict if we get the money that we need. and that's our biggest limitation right now we can reach the afghan people without anyone including the taliban interfering with our operations in that extremely important for us. that is a humanitarian effort. enough sanctions and asset freezes have been applied to the taliban since they came into government and they are hitting the wanted me in afghanistan. hard. should these measures be reconsidered? so the long term solu

withdrawal from afghanistan. this hearing was planned long before the most recent vents in afghanistan. but i've asked va, vsos and the veteran witnesses to share what they have been doing in terms of outreach and additional support for veterans who are struggling. my staff has been in daily contact with the va, vsos and mental health organization this is path month. veterans are not a monolithic group. and though all have worn the uniform and served this country, they all bring unique backgrounds, experiences, strengths and challenges to their service and the next phases of their lives. this means that just as there is no single cause of suicide, there is no single approach to preventing suicide. our shared goal is to dial down the risk factors in veterans lives while dialing up the protective factors. with this goal in mind, i've directed my staff to put together a legislative package of mental health and suicide prevention bills that we can move when the urgency we all agree is warranted and they have invited

withdrawal from afghanistan. now, this hearing was planned long before the most recent events in afghanistan. but i've asked va, bsos and veterans witnesses to share what they have been doing for outreach and support for veteran who are struggling. my staff has been in daily contact with organizes this past month. i thank you for keeping them briefed on your needs and efforts. veterans are not a monolithic group. and though all have served this country they all have unique backgrounds, experiences and strengths and challenge to their service and next phases of their lives. this means just as there is no single cause of suicide, there is no single approach to preventing suicide. with this goal in mind i've directed my staff to put together a legislative package of mental health and suicide prevention bills we can move with the urgency we all agree is warranted. and they have invited republican staff to provide input as well. this new mental health and suicide prevention website package will include how va trains i

we begin in afghanistan. the start of a harsh winter is neck the humanitarian crisis even more devastating. the afghan economy has been crippled by international sanctions, imposed after the taliban seized power in august. the collapse of the previous afghan government and the collapse of western supporters left many unable to feed their families or heat theires. quentin sommerville has this report from a country in crisiso quentin: after 20 years of war, afghanistan faces a long, harsh winter and a cold and hungry peace. victorious, the taliban now guard food queues. more than half the country is going hungry. women barred from work and education have lost another fundamental right. the ability to feed their families. here in the province, we meet a woman. she supports a family of six alone. this wheelbarrow of basics is meant to less than 17 days or maybe less. there was no rights today. -- rice today. >> winter is very difficult. we don't have money to buy food or firewood. quentin: her granddaughter is al

it's afghanistan's 1st and only national park. the area usually attract thousands of visitors a year. all that changed with the taliban takeover. now it's deserted. the normally busy kiosks empty and padlocked cobbler who held it used to be very good and there was scheme, programs, and competitions in the winter. they used to be so many tourists. but since the taliban came in the last 4 months, we haven't seen any tourists in bonds. mia? 3 see that the one has more of them had met him today. visitors are greeted by arm taliban soldiers and vehicle inspections. of towns once flocked to bundy mere looking for a break from decades of conflict. the region prospered, but now it's taken a double hit from the pandemic and the economic crisis following the taliban victory over melbourne when them, it's 70 to 80 families living in the village. and their livelihoods depend entirely on tourism. couldn't be always thought if they are tourists. their income is good, if not one, they have nothing on mission. without the tourists, the striking b

ah, we have americans stuck in afghanistan. oh, tell van in charge to smoke more weaponry. they've ever had mass border that is of the taliban now controls more of the country than it did before. the u. s. invaded at new government this field with what dynamo, bay inmates, and terrorist mac dean who even have american bounties on their heads. what washington achieved was the absolute opposite of what it intended. the bombing at campbell airport during the evacuation epitomized the afghan war, a senseless act, devoid of reason, which needless, he cut short so many lives. we will not forgive. we will not forget. we will hunt you down to make you pay. we've heard the same promise before 20 years ago when america was united, and when it thought that it could change the world when it thought it was invincible. and when the people believed a president's promise more, i guess the of o t cobble of got to start. yeah. looking back to some of the bigger stories there of 2021, wrapping up the program for this out of their life for moscow

but sun, i'm doesn't only look like most boys in afghanistan. she's also leading the life of a boy doing many things, girls are not allowed to do such as getting an education. phantom's mother explains what outsiders could seem like an unusual decision bra rather than just a girl living as a boy or boucher push is not common in our atkins society. but we had to do this because of poverty and alleging we don't have a son to work for us. and her father doesn't have any one to help him. so i consider her as my son beside him until she becomes a teenager. but allergies like thought joe english as a girls, anna would not be allowed to stand next to her father on the street like this. but as a boy called, oh maid, she can help him make money for the family. she's also able to take part in other activities, usually reserved for boys, especially now that the taliban is laying down the law hasn't em at least for now. the sky is the limit. niga mean i would like to become a doctor or a commander or a soldier or i'll work with my father yolk at berry final

we are afghans. allah, afghanistan is our country. it's our homeland, but we're leaving out of sheer hopelessness. slower. the little girl girl, commercial ritual, non decades of conflict and poverty have driven out most of afghanistan seeks. but a tale bonds take over has prompted even more to leave. its thought only about a 100 remain. they hold out to say when the temple was built it 60 years ago, it was full of worshippers. dog shook juice megan, whatever joy or sorrow we felt, we shared it here. first, the seek temple was built. what then these buildings around it? what do you have them built this school for sick children? amy, you people i studied here to ha, all this garden that you see here. children used to play here, but to kill 30. to day the school has turned to a sanctuary for families like this. the targets of religious attacks by militant groups such as i as key seeks have long endued discrimination in muslim majority, afghan has done. but since the taliban took power, the remaining few may also be forced to flee. that

the portuguese authorities had got them out of afghanistan. his mother in germany is hoping she'll get to see her son soon. somewhere in europe. oh my gosh hollis, i'm satisfied. i'm in safety. my son is safe in portugal and i am very happy about that or is it was his though? ah, can he wouldn't stand on her own 2 feet again. i wish for god to bring peace to afghanistan . thunderbolt so that we couldn't return to our home and better off than we were before. kennimore bore dest supported me now, now did he, and her family can stay in germany for the next 3 years of roha goes to school, here or on. the family will soon be relocated to camp, closer to berlin. they're still collecting donations to help the people in afghanistan, a german president from valdosta and my looks like he's going to get a 2nd term as head of state after securing the backing of the country's coalition government or the greens were the last of the 3 coalition parties to endorse him and he's now poised to be elected on the 13th of february for another 5 year term has been s

some others i have left afghanistan, dan, pakistan. but we are in touch with some who are in bosnia and croatia. they're living on the streets and a lot of them, most of them are desperate. you mentioned that you estimate 15000 former helpers are still there. they all want to come to germany and he has done well. they worked for the former german government and so they want to come to germany and we have a responsibility to get them here. we as a support network for african local staff and we did own evacuation procedures during the last weeks and months. we evacuated nearly 200, some of this, these former local staff. and we hope that we will be able to do this or produce procedures um during this year. and so you just took in $200.00, but with more than $14000.00 still left there, that that's actually an task. are you getting any help from germany's government at the moment? we do not get any help and it's the big problem. we're running out of money to do these evacuation procedures. we need about 2200 euros to evacuate just one sing

policy as regards a iraq, afghanistan, and libya. syria. we've seen what nato thinks of relations with russia, a alliance nato remains the defense of alliance. and i would just say, and perhaps you and i should discuss this at greater length and in a future broadcast. i think russia's greatest security lies moving west, not moving east. i just got to find the us then, obviously about the coven pandemic. i don't know what you think the mistakes were by the trump administration, with your writing a day, maybe a sequel to this book about that element. but of course, criticism came for you. why did you abolish the national security council's pandemic response unit? just ahead of the cove of virus, the killed hundreds of thousands of americans met in the world. i didn't abolish it . i did something really bureaucratically quite responsible. i merged it with the biological weapons unit of the national security council. and in fact, if you look both the bob woodward's book, if you look at reporting in the new york times, the national security coun