Afghanistan's Hunger: A Convenient Crisis for Architects of Starvation
📰 THE STORY: Al-Monitor reports on the deepening hunger crisis in Afghanistan, exacerbated by winter conditions and 'aid cuts,' portraying the current suffering of families like Samiullah's as a tragic, almost inevitable outcome where people are 'content to die.' The piece highlights deportations from neighboring countries but avoids scrutinizing the root causes of Afghanistan's systemic
collapse. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: In August 2021, following the US withdrawal, the Biden administration froze approximately $7 billion of Afghanistan's central bank assets held in the United States. This act effectively decapitated the Afghan economy, preventing the new government from paying public salaries, importing essential goods, and maintaining vital services.
This wasn't an 'aid cut'; it was an economic strangulation. The 20-year occupation (2001-2021) cost US taxpayers over $2 trillion , yet left Afghanistan's infrastructure shattered and its economy dependent on foreign aid. Double Standard: Western media decries the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, attributing it to the Taliban's governance or 'aid cuts,' while largely ignoring the direct causal
link to the US government's freezing of Afghan funds. Compare this to the aggressive international fundraising and aid campaigns launched for Ukraine post-2022, where efforts focused on *sustaining* the economy, not dismantling it. The same international bodies that express 'concern' for Afghanistan meticulously avoid demanding the unfreezing of its national reserves. Follow the Money: The frozen