Afghanistan: the $2 Trillion Dollar Scam
$2 Trillion is stolen, there is a well-covered-up network of sexual abuse and tens-of-thousands of people are killed - if those are not crimes, what are?
Welcome to NATO's mission in Afghanistan.
It was an appalling, cluster-problem. For those of you who don't know what happened in Afghanistan and why millions of Afghans choose scumbags like the Taliban over our lot - listen to this podcast.
It is deeply shocking.
Our troops were, at times, little better than bodyguards for drug lords.
Our officials, at times, helped cover up monumental corruption and the sexual exploitation of hundreds of children.
Worst, our politicians and generals knew about it - but received so many political contributions and jobs from defense contractors that nothing was done.
Few people have wanted to speak about this issue. As Westerners, this is our Berlin Wall moment. Either we reflect and figure out what went wrong or our societies are in real danger.
Note - I am neither a Donald Trump or Joe Biden supporter - but an independent journalist and professor. The scandal in Afghanistan was far bigger than any political party in any country. It was a monument to deep-rooted corruption and criminal incompetency in America and all of NATO.
The presentation was at conference of the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators (IAFCI) in Chicago, September 2021. I was to speak about sports corruption and gambling but chose to speak about Afghanistan. It seemed to touch a nerve among the audience.
The show: Learn more at www.crimewavespodcast.com, you can follow the team on twitter at @declan_hill