Biden to split frozen Afghan funds for 9/11 victims, relief

[George II]

Source: Associated Press

By AAMER MADHANI and KATHY GANNON 15 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Friday to split the $7 billion in Afghan assets frozen in the U.S. to fund humanitarian relief in Afghanistan and to create a third-party trust fund to compensate victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the White House said.

The order calls for U.S. financial institutions to facilitate access to $3.5 billion for Afghan relief and basic needs. The other $3.5 billion would remain in the United States and be used to fund ongoing litigation by U.S. victims of terrorism, officials said.

International funding to Afghanistan was suspended and billions of dollars of the country’s assets abroad, mostly in the United States, were frozen after the Taliban took control of the country in August as the U.S. military withdrew.

The White House said in a statement that the order “is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan, while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-united-states-terrorism-b2743737c3286dbba95a7663615e37be

[Ray Bruns]

1. A step in the right direction for Afghanistan. I know they are already

having food shortages.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Afghan funds to pay for 9/11 victims? What the fuck?

[George II]

3. The terrorists were members of al Qaida, who were based in Afghanistan with bin Laden....

They also trained in Afghanistan.

[christx30]

4. And the Taliban provided safe haven to

al Qaida leaders after 9/11. And since they are back in power after 20 years, Afghanistan money is theirs, and now ours.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. The funds seized belonged to the people of Afghanistan. This is a cruel and contemptible action.

[rockfordfile]

14. I agree

[Blues Heron]

5. exactly - the money belongs to the people of Afghanistan

not the American victims of the Saudi Arabian terrorists.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. This is a breathtakingly cruel move.

[christx30]

13. We spent trillions and

thousands of American lives trying to help them rebuild their country. And then the people that we spent 20 years trying to help just rolled over and let the Taliban take over again. We owe them nothing. They owe the victims of 9/11 compensation for the lives that were destroyed that day. Their leaders sheltered the perpetrators of that crime.
Let them eat static

[Cha]

6. Kr Thank You & President Biden!

Course there will Always be some complaint.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. Why are you thanking Biden? I'm curious.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

10. The US spent like a trillion friggin dollars trying to help them build a democracy and keep their

country out of the control of the Taliban.

Not to mention the loss of American lives.

And then the Afghan People ... didn't do shit to keep any of it, when the chips were down.

So why not have some faith that Biden has looked at the whole situation, including many things we undoubtedly don't know, and properly concluded this is a fair use of the "Afghan People's" money?

Afghanistan’s long-troubled economy has been in a tailspin since the Taliban takeover. Nearly 80% of the previous government’s budget came from the international community. That money, now cut off, financed hospitals, schools, factories and government ministries.

So, who's $7B is this, really? I don't think we're talking about the money in the savings accounts of ordinary working people.

"The Biden administration is still working through details of setting up the trust fund, an effort the White House says will likely take months.

Because victims have ongoing legal claims on the $7 billion in the U.S. banking system, the courts would have to sign off before half the money for humanitarian assistance could be released to Afghanistan, the officials said."

Sounds like, in actuality, the disposition re: the ownership of these funds ... is pretty complex, and that Biden is actually trying to carve out $3.5 billion for the Afghan people.

But maybe I'm missing something

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. .

So, who's $7B is this, really? I don't think we're talking about the money in the savings accounts of ordinary working people.

We are. That's why it's cruel.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

12. Okay well if you're saying you know that to be the case, then I'd entertain

that argument.

But it also sounds like the Courts are maintaining the 9/11 victims' right to at least hold the funds for now until cases are all settled ... whereas Biden is trying to carve out 1/2 of it to help the Afghan People now.