Topic: John Sopko

3 chapters across the catalog

Rando
Episode 1216 2:06:50 - 2:10:29

1216: Rando

Afghanistan Papers and Persistent Incentives to Lie

John Sopko, the Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, testified that U.S. officials had a persistent incentive to lie about progress on the ground due to short deployment timeframes. The "Afghanistan Papers" reveal that the war has been unwinnable for years, yet the system is designed to keep the U.S. involved indefinitely.

Rewilding
Episode 1209 2:33:51 - 2:37:31

1209: Rewilding

Afghanistan War Papers, Taliban Negotiations, Inspector General Report

Inspector General John Sopko testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee regarding the "incentive to lie" about progress in the Afghanistan war. The Washington Post's "Afghan Papers" revealed that government officials misled the public for years about the unwinnable nature of the conflict. Despite these failures, the Trump administration is currently negotiating a peace agreement with the Taliban to facilitate a responsible withdrawal.

Political Perp Walk
Episode 815 1:25:14 - 1:28:48

815: Political Perp Walk

Afghanistan Reconstruction Failure, SIGAR Report

A report by Special Inspector General John Sopko reveals that the $113 billion reconstruction effort in Afghanistan has largely failed. The spending exceeds the inflation-adjusted cost of the Marshall Plan but has resulted in shoddy infrastructure and empty schools. The hosts criticize the lack of mainstream media outrage regarding this level of government waste and corruption.