Non paywall version for the interested:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wasteful-spending-and-half-baked-ideas-us-officials-reveal-how-massive-rebuilding-projects-in-afghanistan-backfired/ar-BBXYeRI
In a Lessons Learned interview, he said he came across a U.S.-built greenhouse that cost $30,000 and had fallen into disuse because the Afghans could not maintain it. His unit built a replacement greenhouse out of iron rebar that worked better and cost only $55 — despite pressure to spend far more.
“Congress gives us money to spend and expects us to spend all of it,” Copes said. “The attitude became we don’t care what you do with the money as long as you spend it.”
