By Maryam Ahmad
A groundbreaking congressional investigation has forced lawmakers to acknowledge a long history of U.S. government involvement in financing extremist organisations, including Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, the Taliban, and ISIS.
The findings, revealed in a classified report leaked to the press, outline decades of covert operations, indirect funding, and intelligence blunders that have inadvertently empowered terrorist groups worldwide.
The report details how U.S. aid, weapons, and financial resources intended for allied forces or opposition groups often ended up in the hands of militants.
It cites instances where American-made arms supplied to anti-Soviet fighters in the 1980s ultimately bolstered the Taliban and where funding to Syrian opposition forces found its way to ISIS affiliates.
Lawmakers from both parties have responded with shock and calls for greater oversight. “This is a sobering moment,” said Senator James Holloway (R-TX). “We must rethink our foreign policy strategy to ensure that American resources are never again used to fuel extremism.”
The White House has yet to issue a formal response, but officials insist that past mistakes should not overshadow ongoing counterterrorism efforts. Meanwhile, critics argue that these revelations confirm long-held suspicions about U.S. interventionist policies and their unintended consequences.
The investigation’s full findings are expected to be declassified in the coming months, raising further questions about accountability and the future of American foreign aid.