More USAID Fraud?

More USAID Fraud? Billions Of US Tax Dollars Are Missing From Haiti Relief Projects

by Tyler Durden

Sunday, Feb 23, 2025 - 01:55 PM

There are those that say all government aid is a scam in one way or another, and so far the revelations surrounding USAID are proving those people right daily.  Democrats and the establishment media, in a bid to muddy the waters and save face, continue to claim that there was never any fraud at USAID and that the Trump Administration is simply labeling projects they "disagree with" as suspect. 

Of course, spending American tax dollars on projects the public never asked for and were never told about is the epitome of fraud, and waste is never a good thing.  Beyond that, the question of billions in missing funds certainly falls into the category of criminality. 

Trump has taken a lot of heat from the media with the shut down of USAID and much of the criticism suggests that without US funds people in third world countries will fall back into desperation.  The Washington Post recently claimed that Trump's cuts to USAID are a "gift to Haitian gangs" terrorizing the locals; a typical leftist appeal to emotion that assumes most of the funds were getting to the Haitians in the first place

Source, & readmore

Rise Of A Zombie Nation: Heartbreaking Pictorial Essay Of American Streets

Rise Of A Zombie Nation: Heartbreaking Pictorial Essay Of American Streets While Biden Spends Tens Of Billions On Ukraine, Illegal Immigrants, Instead Of Helping U.S. Citizens

San Francisco open-air drug dens

By Susan Duclos - All News PipeLine

Since Joe Biden started occupying the White House the U.S has handed over between $27 billion and $30 billion to Ukraine, depending on whether you garner your numbers from the media ($27 billion) or the State.gov website page titled "U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine" ($30 billion).

To put those numbers into perspective, since 2014, when the Obama regime helped overthrow the democratically elected  pro-Russia president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych , to install a western lackey, Volodymyr Zelensky, the U.S. has given Ukraine $32 billion.

So, before Biden, the U.S. spent a couple of billion, but Biden has sent $30 billion.

Other assistance: $18.3 billion in military assistance directly from DoD stockpiles since August 2021, $15.8 billion in defense articles and services from the Department of Defense since August 2021, $2.2 billion available in long-term investments under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to bolster the security of Ukraine and 17 of its regional neighbors, $595.9 million in active government-to-government sales cases with Ukraine under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system.

All these figures come directly from the Department of State website. 

Before moving along to what that money could have done for America, let us look at a list of "security assistance committed to Ukraine," provided by the U.S. Department of State website:

Read more & video 

 

Corporate America Pledges $1.7 Billion to Black Lives Matter

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Jun. 12, 2020

It is going to be quite a trip watching Black Lives Matter spend billions of dollars in the coming years -- handed to them by the most powerful megacorporations in the world -- to tell everyone how "systemically oppressed" they are!

From Black Enterprise, "Black Lives Matter: Corporate America Has Pledged $1.678 Billion So Far":

Companies have made extraordinary pledges of support in the face of significant operational and financial challenges. Many have stepped up support for black workers and communities. These monetary commitments are designed to facilitate and support "action for racial justice -- to empower, support, and accelerate immediate solutions, as well as work towards long-term systematic transformation."

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Saudi Arabia Is About To Confiscate $33 Billion From Four Of Its Richest People

Earlier today, when discussing the Saudi bank account and asset freeze (and confiscation) of dozens of princes and ministers, we said that just the haul of billionaire prince Alwaleed's $19 billion in various holdings, including nearly a billion dollars in jewelry, plans, yachts, furniture and cash...

 

 

Haiti Elections on Hold Due to Corruption

Now Waiting for Hillary to be Crowned Pres! Battle for Haiti’s Billions in Gold & Oil Turning Into Treason, Murder, & Insanity!

Submitted by IWB, on August 10th, 2016

 

Keeping corruption in office in Haiti until the new U.S. president is crowned? Elections postponed leaving old powers still in charge – conspiracy? All eyes are on the gold in Haiti and the Clinton’s get first choice.

Who stands to lose if the people’s choice in Haiti wins?

The election in Haiti canceled and will not be valid until after presidential elections in U.S.

Corruption continues in Haiti!

“Haiti politics: Poll results annulled, election re-scheduled for October”

 

 

John Kerry three months ago calling Haitian leaders players – Oop’s! – Elections are just an illusion and all the players around the world in church and state are playing for their lives!

TRUTH STOPS THE GAME!

Clinton Emails Reveal Foreign Meddling in Last Haitian Presidential Election

As Haitians vote for their next president, Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network Ezili Danto and IJDH attorney Nicole Phillips discuss the past and present influence of the international community in election results.

Who do the Clinton’s want to win?

The candidate who is spending the most?

We Went to Haiti to Learn about NWO/CIA-Funded Death Squads

In December of 1990, Haiti, then the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, held its first ever democratic elections, selecting Jean-Bertrand Aristide with 67% of the popular vote. Aristide, a left-leaning populist and former Catholic priest, officially took office in February of 1991.

Eight months later, he was ousted by an Army-led coup, making way for a military junta government that would rule Haiti until 1994.

As commander-in-chief of the the Armed Forces of Haiti (FADH), Raoul Cédras became the de facto leader of this military regime. While he oversaw the FADH and National Intelligence Service, Emmanuel “Toto” Constant established a paramilitary group known as the Armed Revolutionary Front for the Progress of Haiti (FRAPH).

Constant, it turns out, was an agent to the United States. Between 1992 and 1994, the CIA provided the Haitian death squad leader with arms and funding in exchange for information, a fact that both Constant and US officials later admitted.

CORRUPTION HAS NEVER STOPPED IN HAITI!

In 1994, Aristide was restored to power, with help from the United States and the international community. Emmanuel Constant was granted a tourist visa to enter the US, where he subsequently went underground. He was found hiding in Queens in 1995 and quickly arrested, with plans made to send him back to Haiti.

While in jail, Constant conducted an interview with 60 Minutes in which he revealed his collaboration with the CIA and threatened to divulge more secrets should he be convicted. In 2001, a Haitian court convicted Emmanuel Constant in absentia and sentenced him to life in prison for killings in Gonaives, Haiti.

U.S. LIES AND PROMISES CAN END UP IN DEATH OR LIFE IN JAIL. DO THE DIRTY WORK AND THEN PAY WITH YOUR LIFE – THE AMERICAN WAY?

The United States government declined the extradition request, and Constant continued living in Queens. Seven years later, a U.S. court convicted him of mortgage fraud. Constant is currently serving that sentence in a maximum security prison in New York.
http://historybuff.com/we-went-to-haiti-…23dZ1mqRVM

WHY ARE THERE 52 NATIONS IN HAITI?

WHY IS THE UNITED NATIONS (NWO) STILL THERE?

WHAT IS IN HAITI THAT HAS GREED AND CORRUPTION WRITTEN ALL OVER IT?

WHO IS PROTECTION THE CLINTON ASSETS IN HAITI?

WHO HAS THEIR HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR?

HOW MANY IN HAITI HAVE MADE THE CLINTON KILL LIST?

IS IT ALL FOR THE UNTOUCHED GOLD AND OIL RESERVES?

“Oil, Gold, Iridium are why United States Pushes Fake Aid & Elections in Haiti”

2012 – The oil and gold in Haiti here is the proof. Caracol near Haiti oil reserve.

The warning to all the world was put out about Haiti wealth being stolen and the reason so many nations have descended on the nation. Like Africa the people live in nations that should provide them with everything they need from its wealth, yet they live in poverty due to GREED!

In 2012 the truth about Haiti came out.

Was the Haiti disaster another 9/11 by way of weather warfare?

Was HAARP from Puerto Rico directed at the island of Haiti intentionally?

Where are the billions of dollars that were raised to help the people of Haiti?

Check the Clinton/Bush fund and the Clinton Foundation – Most never went to the people, but the Clinton’s and the Bush’s aren’t complaining. What would you do with billions of free dollars? Would you share?

The prediction of 2012 is now a FACT – CORRUPTION IS ALL OVER HAITI MADE IN THE USA!

In 2011, he faces of the new world order and “GREED” shined in Haiti!

C.I.A Operation in Haiti Before the Earthquake

The Truth About Haiti: The Bush & Clinton Presidencies

1844 – Dominican Republic declares its independence from Haiti.

1863 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln recognizes Haiti and allows trade for the first time.

1904 – Haiti celebrates 100 years of independence.

1915 – U.S. forces occupy Haiti; they will stay until 1934.

1930 – First full democratic elections in Haiti; Stenio Vincent elected.

1937 – Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo orders the expulsion of Haitians working in his country. Between 17,000 and 35,000 are killed.

1957 – Francois Duvalier, a doctor, is elected president. “Papa Doc” establishes one of the most brutal dictatorships in Haitian history. His rule is enforced by a militia commonly-known as Tonton Macoutes.

1971- Duvalier dies; his son takes power and is proclaimed President-for-Life, like is father.

1974 – The Haitian national soccer team participates in the World Cup.

1986 – Unrest leads the military to oust “Baby Doc” and his kleptocratic clan.

1990 – Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Catholic priest is elected with 67% of the vote.

1991 – Aristide is ousted in a coup that many Haitians believe was financed by the business elite.

1994 – Backed by a UN resolution, the Clinton Administration restores Aristide to power.

1996 – René Préval elected President; he is seen as a stand-in for Aristide.

2000- Aristide elected President again after much-disputed parliamentary elections.

2004 – Aristide leaves under pressure of an armed rebellion; he claims the U.S. kidnapped him and shipped him out.

2006 – Préval elected again. A UN peacekeeping force in Haiti since 2003 grows to 9,000 troops.

2008 – Unrest erupts as Haitians riot against high food prices.

2010 – January 12 – An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 devastates Port-au-Prince and damages much of Haiti.

Haiti Earthquake Contracts Ran Through The Clinton Foundation • Clinton Cash

Lucrative contracts to rebuild Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake often ran through Bill and Hillary Clinton’s foundation. Bret Baier walks us through the Clinton connections to Haiti revealed in Peter Schweizer’s new book, “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich”.

Protesters talk about Clinton and Haiti’s millions of dollars raised that non-profits have used the law that says you only have to give back 10% and they have. Most people don’t know that 90% of most fundraisers go to the company and not the cause.

Why do the stars come to sing in times of a disaster – they get a check!

The people of Haiti are screaming for justice from the rape and pillaging of their country for everything that the people own. Stealing land, precious minerals and oil in the name of humanity is rolling right along in Haiti.

Haiti $20 Billion In Gold & Minerals – Owner (Master?) – Slaves to Mine It (People?)

What else could you call it?

Hidden gold in Haiti and guess who knew about it?

Was the Haiti disaster all about $20 billion in gold that the majority shareholders are Americans and Canadians? Hillary Clinton’s brother getting one of two permits issued in over 70 years to mine gold? Is this all a coincidence?

Haitians show the world how to mine without pollution and not taking more than is needed.

So much corruption in Haiti and to the people who call it home. Greed loves poverty!

“Red Cross Haiti Relief Missing Money Investigated – Non-Profit Cash Cow?”

The American Red Cross spent almost $125 million of the money it raised for disaster relief following the 2010 Haiti earthquake on internal expenses, including program management and fundraising, according to a report released Thursday by Iowa Senator Charles Grassley.

The report follows a nearly yearlong investigation by Grassley, which began after a 2015 report by ProPublica and National Public Radio found that the organization only managed to build six permanent homes, despite raising almost half a billion dollars and promising to create hundreds of permanent homes.

We look at the charity’s mismanagement of Haiti relief funds on the Lip News with Jo Ankier, Nik Zecevic and Margaret Howell.
http://investmentwatchblog.com/red-cross…estigated/

Red Cross scrutinized for building only 6 homes with $500 million in Haiti

Thinker

 

See more at

http://investmentwatchblog.com/haiti-elections-on-hold-due-to-corruption-now-waiting-for-hillary-to-be-crowned-pres-battle-for-haitis-billions-in-gold-oil-turning-into-treason-murder-insanity/

EXPOSED: How The Clintons Likely STOLE BILLIONS

From The World’s Poorest — Charles Ortel

Submitted by IWB, on June 20th, 2016

 

Investor and financial crimes researcher Charles Ortel joins me to uncover what he is calling “the “largest unprosecuted charity fraud ever attempted.” Charles reports that the Clinton Foundation is part of an “international charity fraud network whose entire cumulative scale approaches and may even exceed $100 billion, measured from 1997 forward.” And the most shocking aspect of the Clinton Foundation’s missing Billions is that much of it was stolen from those who need it most, the world’s poorest of the poor. Along with the Bush crime family, the Clintons formed The Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund after the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake. Charles says, “What the Clintons have done, is they are stealing the people’s physical gold in Haiti, as well as perhaps stealing or diverting massive sums that were sent towards Haiti and refusing to make an accounting for it.”

US Gov’t Just Approved Billions For Its Own Weapons

The Same Day it Pushed Gun Control For Citizens

Claire Bernish June 15, 2016

In the wake of the mass shooting in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub over the weekend, politicians opportunistically pushed for excessively strict gun control legislation — but didn’t hesitate for a second to clear another hurdle to pass the next $602 billion defense spending bill.

Essentially, government guns aimed at the government’s enemies — which all-too often also kill civilians — are perfectly acceptable; but your constitutionally-protected right to own your own guns, not so much.

Though the Senate vote to pass the National Defense Authorization Act might amount to an exercise in futility — due to veto threats from Pres. Obama over the inclusion of a ban on shuttering Guantanamo Bay — its symbolic passage nonetheless bears testament to astonishing governmental hypocrisy.

Nowhere is said hypocrisy more apparent than in the shared call from both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to bomb the hell out of ISIS in response to the Orlando massacre — despite the shooter’s flimsy-at-best ties to the terrorist group.

“For now, we can say for certain that we need to redouble our efforts to defend our country from threats at home and abroad,” Clinton contended. “That means defeating international terror groups, working with allies and partners to go after them wherever they are, countering their attempts to recruit people here and everywhere, and hardening our defenses at home

Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/govt-approved-billions-weapons-day-pushed-gun-control-citizens/#6QpE5Fe7t7QiRvrq.99

Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/govt-approved-billions-weapons-day-pushed-gun-control-citizens/#6QpE5Fe7t7QiRvrq.99

Iran Ordered to Pay $10.5 Billion for 9/11 by US Judge

By RT

Global Research, March 11, 2016

RT 10 March 2016

 

A US judge ordered Iran to pay over $10 billion in damages to families of victims who died on September 11, 2001 – even though there is no evidence of Tehran’s direct connection to the attack. The same judge earlier cleared Saudi Arabia from culpability.

The default judgement was issued by US District Judge George Daniels in New York on Wednesday. Under the ruling, Tehran was ordered to pay $7.5 billion to 9/11 victims’ families, including $2 million to each victim’s estate for pain and suffering, and another $6.88 million in punitive damages. Insurers who paid for property damage and claimed their businesses were interrupted were awarded an additional $3 billion in the ruling.

The ruling is noteworthy particularly since none of the 19 hijackers on September 11 were Iranian citizens. Fifteen were citizens of Saudi Arabia, while two were from the United Arab Emirates, and one each from Egypt and Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia was legally cleared from paying billions in damages to families of 9/11 victims last year, after Judge Daniels dismissed claims that the country provided material support to the terrorists and ruled that Riyadh had sovereign immunity. Saudi attorneys argued in court that there was no evidence directly linking the country to 9/11.

In response to the latest ruling, Hossein Sheikholeslam, a senior aide to Iran’s parliamentary speaker, called the decision “absurd and ridiculous.”

“I never heard about this ruling and I’m very much surprised because the judge had no reason whatsoever to issue such a ruling… Iran never took part in any court hearings related to the events of September 11, 2001,”

he told Sputnik.

“Even if such an absurd and ridiculous decision has been made, the charges simply hold no water because Iran has never been mentioned at any stage of the investigation and the trials that followed.”

While Sheikholeslam argued that Iran didn’t take part in related hearings, that lack of participation may have contributed to the decision. A default judgment is typically issued when one of the parties involved in a case does not respond to court summons or appear in court to make their case.

Judge Daniels found that Iran failed to defend itself against claims that it played a role in 9/11. Iran believes the lawsuit is unnecessary because it says it did not participate in the attack.

Image: Eduardo Munoz / Reuters

In the US, Tehran’s role in 9/11 has been debated heavily over the years. The 9/11 Commission Report stated that some hijackers moved through Iran and did not have their passports stamped. It also stated that Hezbollah, which the US designates as a terrorist organization supported by Iran, provided “advice and training” to Al-Qaeda members.

In a court document filed in 2011 regarding the latest case, plaintiffs claimed Hezbollah “provided material support” to Al-Qaeda, such as facilitating travel, plus “direct support” for the 9/11 attacks. As a result, the plaintiffs argued Iran was liable.

However, the commission report itself found no evidence to suggest Iran was aware of the 9/11 plot, and suggested the possibility that if Hezbollah was tracking the movements of Al-Qaeda members, it may not have been eyeing those who became hijackers on 9/11.

While the report suggested further investigation into the issue, President George W. Bush has said, “There was no direct connection between Iran and the attacks of September 11.”

Iran, inhabited mostly by Shia Muslims, has also denied any connection to Al-Qaeda – a militant Sunni group – and cooperation between the two has been questioned due to religious differences. Al-Qaeda views the Shia as heretics, for example.

“The people who committed those terrorist attacks were neither friends nor allies of Iran,” Iran Press Editor-in-Chief Emad Abshenas told Sputnik.

“They were our sworn enemies, members of Al-Qaeda, which considers Iran as their enemy. Fifteen out of the 19 terrorists were Saudi citizens, which happens to be America’s best friend. The remaining four terrorists lived in Saudi Arabia and enjoyed Saudi support. Therefore the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks had nothing to do with Iran.”

How the case moves forward after Daniels’ ruling is unclear. According to Bloomberg, it can be very hard to obtain damages from another country, but plaintiffs might try to do so by targeting Iranian funds frozen by the US.

The original source of this article is RT

Copyright © RT, RT, 2016

 

http://subterrnews.blogspot.com/2016/03/iran-ordered-to-pay-10.html

 

Blogger's Note:  They should get Iran for the crucifixion of Jesus, the USS Liberty, the assassination of JFK, etc..

Another Day, Another Billion for Color Revolutions Near Russia's Borders

© Sputnik/ Andrei Stenin

Politics

17:07 13.02.2016(updated 11:49 15.02.2016) Get short URL

225402453

Last week, the Obama administration proposed its final, 2017 fiscal year budget proposal to Congress. Among the proposed outlays is a State Department request for nearly a billion dollars to counter "Russian aggression" and "promote democracy" in the former Soviet Union. In other words, Washington thinks the region needs more color revolutions.

On Tuesday, the State Department and USAID held a special joint briefing, laying out a $50.1 billion spending request for 2017, including $953 million in "critical support for Ukraine and surrounding countries in Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia to counter Russian aggression through foreign assistance and public diplomacy."

© Flickr/ Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

George Soros Support for Human Rights Watch Advances Subversive Agenda

The funds, officials specified, would go toward "enhancing access to independent, unbiased information; eliminating corruption and supporting rule of law; strengthening civil society; enhancing energy security, supporting financial reforms, trade, and economic diversification; and increasing some defense capabilities" in countries including "Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova [and] in Central Asia."

The spending would be separate from the proposed $3.4 billion (up from $789 million in 2016), provided by the so-called "European Reassurance Initiative," which aims for "a significant reinvestment in the US military presence in Europe after decades of gradual withdrawal" to counter "the growing threat Russia poses to long-term US national security interests in Europe and beyond."

With most of the Western media basically ignoring the plans and focusing on other aspects of the budget's whopping $4 trillion in proposed spending, Russian security analysts, naturally, couldn't let this 'minor detail' simply slip by unnoticed, given that the spending proposal is openly oriented against Russia.

Analyzing the State Department's proposed new spending spree, Svobodnaya Pressa columnist Andrei Ivanov says that the outlays raise as many questions as they answer.

© AFP 2016/ DIMITAR DILKOFF

The Republic Of Macedonia: Hybrid War Redux?

"It's not difficult to guess what is implied by [the proposed spending for] 'democratization,'" the journalist noted. "However, several questions arise. Firstly, this year, the State Department has already allocated $117 million 'to support democracy' in Ukraine, and $51 million for Moldova and Georgia. But in these countries, so-called color revolutions have already taken place, and the Americans have already almost achieved what they set out to do."

"Secondly, it's unclear what kind of 'countering of Russian aggression' the State Department means in relation to Central Asia. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have long been oriented toward Moscow, and even joined with Russia in the common customs area of the Eurasian Economic Union. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are also part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization's unified security system. Russia has also signed a series of bilateral cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan."

The proposed spending, Ivanov notes, "assumes a serious US commitment to pursuing its [geopolitical] goals, which threatens Russia with obvious negative consequences. The question thus arises about the countermeasures our country might take in response."

"According to experts, on the eve of the coup d'état in Ukraine in 2014, over two thousand non-governmental organizations were created, from training camps for militants to various clubs of political scientists and media workers."

© Sputnik/ Sergey Guneev

Putin’s 2007 Munich Speech Predicted Era of New US, Western Aggressions

Unfortunately, the journalist recalls, "Moscow relied more on the agreements reached with Ukrainian elites; the result was disastrous. Today, the question again arises about the need to work actively with the civil society of neighboring states."

Asked to comment on the State Department's new spending proposal, Andrei Manoilo, a professor of political science at Moscow State University, expressed a commonly held view among Russian security professionals.

Namely, the professor told the newspaper, "when Washington talks about spreading democracy, and allocates money for this purpose, it is referring to 'color revolutions' – the overthrow of undesirable regimes and the drive to bring puppets who mimic democracy to power."

"Factually, these countries find themselves under American control. Ukraine is a vivid example. Until recently, Georgia too served as a good example, with each department and ministry in the country featuring an advisor and curator from the State Department. In Ukraine, supervision is carried out through the US Embassy, and through officials loyal to Washington, charged with implementing its instructions."

© REUTERS/ Bassam Khabieh

Controlled Chaos? Ukraine, Syria Fall Victim to Same 'Democratization' Scenario

As for the earmarking funds for countries which have already undergone color revolutions, Manoilo explained that the money "is allocated for the purpose of maintaining the stability of the dependent regime." This is especially true in Ukraine's case, he said. It is also meant "to ensure the loyalty of local elites."

In Georgia's case, "after Mikheil Saakashvili resigned from his post and was forced to flee the country, the American position weakened somewhat, mainly due to the perceived negativity which the color revolution had brought the country. So here, the US [spends] in order to maintain its influence. It is also possible that the US is considering ensuring the loyalty of Georgian elites by 'nourishing' cyclical color revolutions, thus carrying out a rotation of the elite."

As for Central Asia, the State Department announcement seems to indicate, according to Manoilo, "that color revolutions are planned there as well. The Americans need to see regime change in the countries which, for the most part, are oriented toward Russia. In Central Asia, Moscow has several projects geared toward integration, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CSTO. Today, the countries in the region face a difficult situation, with disintegratory processes growing among them."

© Sputnik/ Aleksei Nikolskiy

Kyrgyzstan Accuses US of Scheming to Create Situation of Controlled Chaos

In Tajikistan, the professor warned, the State Department may attempt to reignite the embers of the country's civil war, which took place between 1992-1997, taking advantage of disagreements between the country's north and south. "US NGOs, which operated freely in the country until recently, are taking advantage [of discontent] among both northern and southern elites. It was not until about a year ago that President Emomali Rahmon began to restrict their activities."

In Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, "the situation has changed little since the last color revolution. The protest mood remains strong. US NGOs and foundations have been working actively with the rural population, which is not very versed in politics, but is easy to agitate to participate in demonstrations against authorities, as the 'melon' revolution of 2010 demonstrated."

In all the countries of Central Asia, Manoilo noted, "there is the strong factor of Islamist radicalism. By and large, only the presence of Russian military bases holds back an Islamist offensive in the region."

Unfortunately, he says, "practice has shown that when it comes to overthrowing undesirable governments, the State Department easily finds a common language with even the most rabid fundamentalists. It's sufficient to recall the color revolutions of the so-called Arab Spring. It would not be out of place to presume that the US is preparing their repetition, except this time in the post-Soviet space."

"In addition to Central Asia, there is the southern Caucasus. Last summer, Armenia saw a rehearsal of a color revolution under non-political slogans – a new technology called the 'Electro-Maidan'. Armenia is a Russian ally in the South Caucasus, and the US has plans for regime change, using their methods of the so-called 'democratic transition'."

Ultimately, Manoilo warns, "by dismantling the political order in Russia's neighboring countries, the US wants to create a vacuum around our country. Simply put, this indicates a repeat of the Ukrainian scenario. After all, until very recently it was simply impossible to imagine Ukraine as a country which is hostile to Russia."

Russia's Response

© Sputnik/ Maksim Blinov

Russian National Security Strategy for 2016: Key Updated Points

Asked what measures Russia can take in order to prevent new, State Department-inspired color revolutions from breaking out on its borders, the professor suggested that "the best way to counter the phenomenon is to constantly monitor the situation, and identify preparations for color revolutions."

"After all," Manoilo noted, "preparations for coups begin covertly, over a period of several years, before protesters come out to the square. Protest movements are prepared according to a well-established pattern, and if the 'revolutionary' activity is uncovered at the preparation stage, the State Department tends to curtail its activities, due to the risk of something going wrong, or costs exceeding the allocated budget."

"Today, Russia and the countries of Central Asia coordinate their efforts within the CSTO framework to identify threats of a military nature – from Islamists and others. The same kind of coordinated work is necessary for identifying planning for the organization of color revolution. That is, there needs to be a single coordination center, and unified monitoring, intelligence and warning systems in place."

"Without question," the professor notes, "it is also necessary to expand work with civil society, especially with the youth. For this, one can rely on the governments of the countries which are at risk. But there must be a common policy –one which would help reduce the base of recruitment for the organizers of color revolutions."

© Flickr/ Tony Bowden

Six Years After Pro-European Revolution Moldova Is a 'Captured State'

"In Ukraine, this work was not carried out. Things came to a point where the protesters were already formed into a critical mass, with which it is difficult to work, to level reasonable arguments toward, and which quickly degenerated into a state of aggression. The opportunity was missed."

"For young people," Manoilo emphasizes, "it is necessary to build social mobility, so that youth can look for opportunities and engage in constructive activity."

"The 'revolutionaries' offer young people an instant career. It is well-known that young people are anything but patient. They want to achieve social status here and now. In day-to-day life, it demands long, hard work…But the 'revolutionaries' offer something different. They say to a young man: 'Come to the square, yell against the authorities for a while, and in a week we'll give you the title of a 'hundreds' revolutionary. And a member of the 'hundreds' is someone of status, a big cheese, the girls see him as a hero. And it is through such 'little lies' that the organizers of coups attract young people. They understand the psychology of young people, and the needs they seek to satisfy, very well."

"Therefore," the political scientist notes, "it's necessary to carry out broad social work. Young people need to see their prospects for the future. And then they would not come out to any 'Maidan', no matter what someone did to urge them on."

Ultimately, Manoilo says, "this system has to be built from scratch." Unfortunately, "Russia does not have experience of work with civil society abroad." 

However, "we have accumulated some experience at home. Most importantly, Russia itself has experts capable of working to counteract color revolutions. We know what to do and how. The time when everyone feared color revolutions and did not know how to react to them has passed. And so in response to the American export of 'color revolution technology', Russia can export its own technology – political stabilization."

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C-27A Shining Example of the Billions Wasted in Afghanistan

July 2, 2014

A C-27A Spartan aircraft belonging to the Afghan National Army Air Force.

With the recent collapse of the Iraqi state and its armed forces, the American taxpayer might correctly question how effective U.S. security assistance to Afghanistan has been over the past decade and whether the Afghan security state might similarly falter after the bulk of U.S. and NATO forces redeploy from the country at the end of this year.
Since the beginning of the Afghan war, the United States has provided around $56 billion to train and equip the Afghan Security Forces, including its nascent Air Force. A quick look at just one procurement program, the G222, also referred to as the C-27A Spartan, shows just how wasteful and dubious American efforts at equipping the Afghan Air Force have been to date. After spending hundreds of millions of dollars on this aircraft program, it was cancelled due to Pentagon mismanagement.
The Afghan Air Force currently relies on a fleet of over one hundred Russian- and American-manufactured helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The Afghans had operated Soviet-era An-32 transport aircraft as a means of providing medium airlift; however, these aging aircraft were retired in 2011.
In order to replace the An-32s, the United States awarded a contract in 2008 to Alenia North America, a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Finmeccanica, to purchase and refurbish eighteen used G222 transport aircraft from the Italian Air Force. This contract was amended in 2010 to include two additional aircraft as well as sustainment and logistical support. Over the course of the contract, L3 Systems Field Support, DynCorp International, and Alenia North America all provided sustainment support.
According to Federal Acquisition Regulation, both the logistical contractor and the military’s project management office (PMO) are required to outline how they will sustain an aircraft like the G222 over the entirety of its lifetime. This includes ensuring the availability of spare parts, potential problems that may impact acquisition, and cost estimates for long-term sustainment. But according to a Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD IG) audit report, G222 PMO officials did not ensure the availability of spare parts critical to the aircraft’s operational performance. As a result, by December 2011, the entire G222 fleet had been grounded in Kabul due to a lack of spare parts and poor management.
By September 2012, of the sixteen aircraft that had been delivered to Afghanistan, nine were authorized to fly, one was awaiting flight-authorization, and the remaining six had been “cannibalized” in order to secure spare parts for the other nine aircraft. Still, according to the DoD IG, “although nine aircraft were authorized to fly, the number of aircraft able to fly on any given day varied from zero to three because of problems associated with maintenance and spare parts.”
That’s right, of the sixteen aircraft the United States had provided to the Afghan Security Forces, a maximum of three were available for flight operations on any given day.
Due to poor contract management and the unavailability of spare parts, between January and September 2012, the G222 fleet flew a total of 234 hours, even though the contract required a minimum of 4,500 flying hours. A spokesperson for the Afghan Air Force, Colonel Mohammad Bahadur, told Stars and Stripes that the aircraft arrived in Afghanistan without an adequate supply of spare parts, and that, “For a small part, you need to wait for weeks or months.”
After spending $486.1 million on the original twenty aircraft (of which only sixteen were delivered), including $60.5 million on spare parts, the Air Force decided not to renew the contract with Alenia for either additional aircraft or further sustainment of the current G222 fleet. DoD IG estimated that the Air Force would have needed to spend an additional $200 million to secure the spare parts necessary to keep the Spartans flying.
Remarkably, the Air Force attempted to place the blame squarely on the contractor, Alenia. According to a statement provided to The Wall Street Journal, the Air Force claimed that, “This decision [not to renew the G222 contract] comes after failed attempts by the contractor to generate a sufficient number of fully mission-capable aircraft that would provide an effective airlift capability for the AAF.” However, federal acquisition regulations require procurement officials to adequately manage and plan for spare parts inventory and proper long-term sustainment.
Ultimately, the DoD IG laid the blame on NATO and PMO officials, pointing out that they had failed to “effectively manage” the program and may have wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on an aircraft that was cost-prohibitive and for which critical spare parts were unavailable.
Moreover, military officials determined that the aircraft did not meet operational requirements in the first place. According to U.S. Lieutenant General Charles Davis, “Just about everything you can think of was wrong for it other than the airplane was built for the size of cargo and mission they needed….Other than that, it didn’t really meet any of the requirements.”
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), John Sopko, also is in the process of investigating the G222 debacle. Last year, he told NBC News that, “We are just starting to gather the facts, so I cannot tell you whether it was criminal fraud or just plain mismanagement….But what I can say for sure, it is that this wastefulness is not an isolated incident in Afghanistan.”
Currently, SIGAR has around two hundred auditors who are attempting to figure out where exactly the $100 billion that the United States has provided in aid to Afghanistan has gone. What percentage of that aid went to its intended target and how much was wasted remains to be seen.
Image from the U.S. Air Force.

By: Ethan Rosenkranz
National Security Policy Analyst, POGO

At the time of publication Mr. Rosenkranz was the National Security Policy Analyst for the Project On Government Oversight.