Staff Reports
The sunk cost of American taxpayer money in Afghanistan just hit a new nadir, and it comes in the form of 20 Italian-made cargo planes best described as the “lemon of the skies.” Forget about making sense of the staggering figures associated with America’s longest military engagement; it’s enough to make any reasonable person just throw their hands up in exasperation. But brace yourself, because the numbers are downright gut-punching.
The Pentagon thought it in its infinite wisdom to splurge a jaw-dropping $549 million on these Aeritalia G.222 planes. They were so unreliable that within six years, they were sold off as scrap metal—yes, the entire fleet was essentially yard art by the time it was done, fetching a paltry sum of $40,000. At this rate, one could almost think the Pentagon was channeling “The Price is Right”—except that nobody won. The only “winners” here are the scrap metal dealers.
Someone Should Be Court-Martialed for What Pentagon Got Caught Doing with $500 Million in Cargo Planes: That’s a 99.9936 percent loss. https://t.co/bSFMJg7nPS pic.twitter.com/mZfV5ntH7N
— The Western Journal (@WestJournalism) February 5, 2025
Acquired in 2008, these planes were refurbished relics from the Italian Air Force, each one a shining beacon of military incompetence. The only thing buttery smooth about these purchases was the Italian accent of the salesmen. It turns out that while the U.S. was purchasing these planes, other “interested buyers” included the likes of Libya—because what could possibly go wrong when a plane ties into a regime known for its feudal-like governance? One could argue that when the market was that “hot,” a little caution might have been the best strategy—but who could think of such things in D.C.?
Fast forward to 2021, and revelations from government watchdogs confirmed that this investment was about as wise as leaving your car keys in your running car in a bad neighborhood. Pilots in Afghanistan were clambering for spare parts and warning about safety concerns, only to be met with crickets. Not surprisingly, by 2014, the G.222s were grounded permanently, with the program terminated quicker than a Hollywood marriage. No accountability, no repercussions—in classic government style—a former U.S. Air Force general was found to have significant conflicts of interest, yet he’s to this day free as a bird.
The laughter turns bitter when looking at more gems of financial recklessness from the Afghan campaign. Millions wasted on a police training facility that, as it turned out, melted like a snow cone in July, and a border police HQ designed for 175 officers that could only manage a mere dozen due to key lockouts. Also, a staggering $200 million went into a literacy program so poorly planned that class time was about as frequent as a blue moon.
This brings into question the logic of what constitutes a “successful military endeavor.” If any private sector corporation operated like this, the executives would be lining up to explain their decisions in front of Congress. Yet in the government, it seems that such malfeasance is simply a footnote in a long saga of ineffectiveness and waste. It’s crystal clear that fixing the U.S. government’s fiscal irresponsibility won’t be a cakewalk, but if they can spend $549 million on glorified junk, maybe it’s high time taxpayers started demanding accountability. Because if ordinary Americans would rip the engine out of a lemon like that, they should certainly expect their government to do the same.
