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| Pentagon 'wasted $28m' on Afghan camouflaged uniforms | Pentagon 'wasted $28m' on Afghan camouflaged uniforms |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US taxpayers unnecessarily spent $28m on uniforms for the Afghan National Army, according to the US inspector general tasked with overseeing the war. | US taxpayers unnecessarily spent $28m on uniforms for the Afghan National Army, according to the US inspector general tasked with overseeing the war. |
| In a scathing report, John Sopko said that officials bought "forest" pattern uniforms, despite the country's landscape being only 2.1% wooded. | In a scathing report, John Sopko said that officials bought "forest" pattern uniforms, despite the country's landscape being only 2.1% wooded. |
| The decision was "not based on an evaluation of its appropriateness for the Afghan environment", he wrote. | The decision was "not based on an evaluation of its appropriateness for the Afghan environment", he wrote. |
| A former Afghan defence minister chose the pattern in 2007, he says. | A former Afghan defence minister chose the pattern in 2007, he says. |
| In the 17-page report, Mr Sopko writes that Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak chose the privately owned pattern over a cheaper pattern that the US military already owned. | |
| US officials, who had been searching for patterns online with Mr Wardak, authorised the purchase because he "liked what he saw", they wrote at the time. | US officials, who had been searching for patterns online with Mr Wardak, authorised the purchase because he "liked what he saw", they wrote at the time. |
| "My concern is what if the minister of defence liked purple, or liked pink?" Mr Sopko told USA Today in an interview. | "My concern is what if the minister of defence liked purple, or liked pink?" Mr Sopko told USA Today in an interview. |
| "Are we going to buy pink uniforms for soldiers and not ask questions? That's insane. This is just simply stupid on its face. | "Are we going to buy pink uniforms for soldiers and not ask questions? That's insane. This is just simply stupid on its face. |
| "We wasted $28 million of taxpayers' money in the name of fashion, because the defence minister thought that that pattern was pretty." | "We wasted $28 million of taxpayers' money in the name of fashion, because the defence minister thought that that pattern was pretty." |
| For years, Mr Sopko's office has criticised the Pentagon for wastefulness during the United States' longest war. | For years, Mr Sopko's office has criticised the Pentagon for wastefulness during the United States' longest war. |
| In January, he told a think tank in Washington there was evidence that Taliban leaders had instructed commanders to purchase US fuel, ammunition and weapons from Afghan soldiers, because it is cheaper. | In January, he told a think tank in Washington there was evidence that Taliban leaders had instructed commanders to purchase US fuel, ammunition and weapons from Afghan soldiers, because it is cheaper. |
| Senator Chuck Grassley called the uniform decision "embarrassing and an affront to US taxpayers". | Senator Chuck Grassley called the uniform decision "embarrassing and an affront to US taxpayers". |
| "Those who wasted money on the wrong camouflage uniforms seem to have lost sight of their common sense," the Republican senator added. | "Those who wasted money on the wrong camouflage uniforms seem to have lost sight of their common sense," the Republican senator added. |
| The Pentagon is currently considering raising the level of US troops in Afghanistan, with a formal announcement expected this week. | The Pentagon is currently considering raising the level of US troops in Afghanistan, with a formal announcement expected this week. |