Biden administration is reportedly considering sending cash and food aid to the Taliban.
Though the Taliban appear to be overjoyed by the end of foreign military presence in the country – which they made clear as they held mock funerals for NATO troops – they could still be entitled to economic aid according to the Biden administration.
As US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan explained in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Afghanistan will still receive humanitarian aid, including food and health resources, despite the Taliban takeover.
Sullivan also confirmed that Afghans could be entitled to financial aid provided that they “follow through on their commitments” such as their commitments to provide “safe passage” for American citizens and Afghan allies and ensure that the country will not serve as the base of operations from which terrorists could target the US or other countries.
“It’s going to be up to them and we will wait and see by their actions how we end up responding in terms of the economic and developmental assistance,” Sullivan said.
While the national security advisor insisted that funds would be distributed through “international institutions” rather than being given directly to the insurgents, it isn’t clear to us how the flow of cash would work in practice given that the Taliban have taken over the country’s government and have control of institutions such as banks.
Following this announcement, critics were quick to blast the administration for even thinking about sending more money into the country after everything that went down in the East.
Supporters, however, expressed their concerns for the Afghans and insisted that ending support altogether could have tremendous consequences for the commonfolk.
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