Afghan Official Says The Government Has Nearly Run Out Of Money, Needs U.S. Bailout -- Washington Post
KABUL — Afghanistan’s central government is nearly broke and needs a $537 million bailout from the United States and other international donors within “five or six days” to continue paying its bills, a senior Afghan finance official said Tuesday.
Crippled by a growing budget shortfall, the Afghan government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars of easily accessible reserve funds this year, said Alhaj M. Aqa, the director general of the treasury at the Finance Ministry.
The government was barely able to cover its September payroll for more than 500,000 national and provincial employees, he added. And with its October payroll deadlines approaching, Aqa said the country’s financial challenges are now “critical.”
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Update: Afghanistan in urgent need of $537m as government is nearly broke -- Khaama Press
My Comment: After receiving $100 billion U.S. in aid over the past decade .... they are now broke and are asking/begging for more money.
The average salary in Afghanistan is $500 US a year. 500,000 government workers means a budget of $250,000,000 U.S. a year. So where did the $100 billion go?
I cannot even make up such a story.