Frozen Afghan Central Bank Funds

[keli]

International economists ask Biden to release Afghan central bank funds

More than 70 economists and experts, including Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, called for Washington and other nations to release Afghanistan's central bank assets in a letter sent to U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

International economists ask Biden to release Afghan central bank funds​

"The letter said foreign capitals needed to return the roughly $9 billion in Afghan central bank assets to Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) to allow the economy to function, despite criticism of behaviour by the ruling Taliban towards women and minorities."

What would you do? I'm torn on the issue. I would much better see this money to be given to people who actually fight for their country, like Ukraine. The Taliban are a hostile power, however withholding the funds is leading to an economic collapse, which leads to famine.

 

[AmazonQueen]

International economists ask Biden to release Afghan central bank funds

More than 70 economists and experts, including Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, called for Washington and other nations to release Afghanistan's central bank assets in a letter sent to U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

www.reuters.com

International economists ask Biden to release Afghan central bank funds​

"The letter said foreign capitals needed to return the roughly $9 billion in Afghan central bank assets to Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) to allow the economy to function, despite criticism of behaviour by the ruling Taliban towards women and minorities."

What would you do? I'm torn on the issue. I would much better see this money to be given to people who actually fight for their country, like Ukraine. The Taliban are a hostile power, however withholding the funds is leading to an economic collapse, which leads to famine.

They are the government of Afghanistan now and it is Afghanistan's money. It should probably be returned to Afghanistan. However any foreign aid should not go through the Afghan government and should be administered through UN agencies. If the Taliban tries to limit who the aid goes to then the aid should be withheld.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

and should be administered through UN agencies

if you're going to do this, you might as well just give it to the taliban.

given what un people have done elsewhere, and what the organization has taken pains to cover up, putting $$$ there is not what one would describe as acceptable "behavior towards women and minorities".

surely we can at least find an organization without a known history of abusing children in the worst ways and trying to hide the fact that their people did it.

 

[AmazonQueen]

if you're going to do this, you might as well just give it to the taliban.

given what un people have done elsewhere, and what the organization has taken pains to cover up, putting $$$ there is not what one would describe as acceptable "behavior towards women and minorities".

surely we can at least find an organization without a known history of abusing children in the worst ways and trying to hide the fact that their people did it.

Which would you suggest?
Oxfam, the Catholic Church?

Its in the nature of organisations to try and cover up misdeeds by their members/employees to protect themselves. If you have a real solution and aren't just here to beat your anti-UN drum I'd like to hear it.

 

[Farm Boy]

We left. Give them their money. If they are to fail or be monsters, let them accomplish that themselves. If they are to succeed at improving the human condition or lead their own lives, give them their own tools so that they can do it. It's 2022.

 

[r16]

there is not enough money to steal , so there is war . Like pity the Taliban or something .

 

[amadeus]

Send them a JPEG of a drawing of a gorilla and say that’s the reserve, then send half to me.

 

[Samson]

The idea that the 9/11 victims are more worthy of this money than the Afghans is mad. These are some of the most impoverished people in the world, and "we" have done more to put them in that poverty than most.

 

[AmazonQueen]

The idea that the 9/11 victims are more worthy of this money than the Afghans is mad. These are some of the most impoverished people in the world, and "we" have done more to put them in that poverty than most.

As far as I remember all the terrorists involved in 9/11 were Saudi Arabian, not Afghans.

 

[amadeus]

The Taliban could have very easily avoided such an international kerfuffle had they decided to not host the guys messing with our business. From a moral standpoint, I don’t have a problem taking their billions.

 

[Samson]

The Taliban could have very easily avoided such an international kerfuffle had they decided to not host the guys messing with our business. From a moral standpoint, I don’t have a problem taking their billions.

But it is not the high ups in the Taliban, who were the ones who made the decisions regarding Al Qaeda, but the poor of Afghanistan, who will starve because of the witholding of funds. I am sure not all the funds would be used for alleviating the suffering of the populous, but some would be.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Pardon me, but have you got your first sentence the wrong way round ?

 

[Samson]

I had missed out the last clause of the sentance, thanks for pointing it out.

 

[Zardnaar]

Screw the Taliban. Maybe unfreeze the money for humanitarian aid in the country.

Basically they don't get to spend it.

 

[Synobun]

It is striking to me that any suggested course of action, and indeed actions by the state, all have the inevitable result of creating more extremists. Surely you understand how withholding money and hanging it above their heads will make an already disillusioned, angry population more susceptible to the ideals held by fanatics? Either by coercion or genuine desperation for a principle.

The West has created their so-called existential adversary, and they do everything they can to sustain it.

 

[keli]

It is striking to me that any suggested course of action, and indeed actions by the state, all have the inevitable result of creating more extremists. Surely you understand how withholding money and hanging it above their heads will make an already disillusioned, angry population more susceptible to the ideals held by fanatics? Either by coercion or genuine desperation for a principle.

The West has created their so-called existential adversary, and they do everything they can to sustain it.

So your suggestion is to give this money directly to the fanatics. I don't think that it makes sense to give fanatics money to make less fanatics.

 

[Synobun]

So your suggestion is to give this money directly to the fanatics. I don't think that it makes sense to give fanatics money to make less fanatics.

My suggestion is to let them self-govern and completely revolutionize how we handle foreign affairs in the Middle East, yes. The paternalistic, narcissistic routine from across the ocean is clearly not a winning strategy, and never has been. The Taliban, and other similar groups, are as powerful as they are because we are worth hating and we directly create the environments for them to function in.

You do not create a better society, amenable to progressive values, through aimless military and economic devastation. From the cushy perspective of a Westerner, we're trying to encourage the "little people" to rise up against their oppressor. We never stop to think that we are the oppressor they are rising up against. Bombs from the sky, arbitrary economic collapse wrought by our overseas policies, and boots on the ground who uproot entire families and communities with warfare and espionage do not convince ordinary people of your moral superiority. They do not see the value of your beliefs when you are directly demolishing everything around them from a theoretical, unreachable control room thousands of miles away.

 

[Lexicus]

So your suggestion is to give this money directly to the fanatics. I don't think that it makes sense to give fanatics money to make less fanatics.

Conversely, is your suggestion that the US can steal anyone's money as long as it labels the victims of the theft "fanatics" first?

 

[keli]

I agree with you, we have to get out and let them do what they want. Afghanistan was a disaster, I’m glad it’s over. However in this case why should we provide funding to them? We should only do this if we can control where it goes. Since we cannot, it’s better to just stop the aid. There’s Pakistan, Iran, China and Russia. They can feel free to provide money to Afghanistan.

 

[keli]

Conversely, is your suggestion that the US can steal anyone's money as long as it labels the victims of the theft "fanatics" first?

That money was Western aid.