WOIFM

U.S. Gifts to the Taliban

That story about the U.S. giving $43 million to the Taliban? It's false:

The truth is contained in the transcript of a briefing given by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who on May 17 announced the $43 million grant; it was aimed at alleviating a famine that threatened the lives of four million Afghans. Far from handing the money over to the Taliban, Powell went out of his way to criticize them, and to explain the steps the United States was taking to keep the money out of their hands.

" We distribute our assistance in Afghanistan through international agencies of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations, " Powell said. " We provide our relief to the people of Afghanistan, not to Afghanistan’s ruling factions. Our aid bypasses the Taliban, who have done little to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people, and indeed have done much to exacerbate it. "

Isn't it just like that wacky corporate-owned conservative media to slant a story like that? Thank god for the alternative press.... This is exactly the kind of misrepresentation I hope to avoid in WOIFM.

Link from Glenn.