Afghanistan: more than 100 believed killed despite Taliban amnesty offer, says UN
GuardianSep 09, 2021
Afghan Assets: Protests in Kabul as Biden Splits Funds Between 9/11 Victims and Relief
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Image copyright: AP [via CBS News]
The Facts
On Saturday, demonstrators in Kabul protested Biden's Executive Order to allow $7 billion in assets from Afghanistan's central bank to be split between humanitarian aid and 9/11 victims, while the Afghan central bank also urged Biden to reverse course.
The complex EO is designed to simultaneously support 9/11 victims and families, promote urgent relief in Afghanistan, and also avoid funding the Taliban.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The vast majority of Afghan deaths are caused by the US illegally confiscating $9.4 billion dollars belonging to the Afghan people, contributing to a terrible famine. The cynical goal of this and the sanctions is making life so unbearable that Afghans eventually blame the Taliban for their misery.
Pro-establishment narrative
Biden is walking a tightrope with Afghanistan, working with the World Bank and NGOs to fund humanitarian aid without directly supporting the Taliban. He's doing all he can to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe within constraints and red tape.
Narrative C
This could be systems failure in action. Biden's convoluted policy might backfire, straining the Afghan banking system and causing even more political and humanitarian issues. 9/11 victims deserve justice, but not from Afghan people caught between the US and the Taliban.
