Analysis of financial transfers from Russia to the Taliban back up reports that Putin was paying bounties for the scalps of U.S. troops.
The NYT reports: “Though the United States has accused Russia of providing general support to the Taliban before, analysts concluded from other intelligence that the transfers were most likely part of a bounty program that detainees described during interrogations. Investigators also identified by name numerous Afghans in a network linked to the suspected Russian operation, the officials said — including, two of them added, a man believed to have served as an intermediary for distributing some of the funds and who is now thought to be in Russia.”
The White House has claimed Trump wasn’t briefed on the intel despite much evidence to the contrary.
CNN adds: “These latest revelations come as numerous former senior intelligence officials are pushing back on the White House denials, saying it was ‘absurd,’ ‘ridiculous,’ and ‘inconceivable’ that the President would not have been briefed on such critical intelligence that potentially put US soldiers in harm’s way.”
Said Joe Biden on Tuesday: “The idea that somehow [Pres. Trump] didn’t know or isn’t being briefed—that is a dereliction of duty…and if he was briefed and nothing was done about this, that’s a dereliction of duty.”
