2022-01-14 12:47:03

Afghanistan in Freefall: Deadly U.S. Sanctions Blamed for Shocking Humanitarian Crisis

As Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian crisis, we look at how more Afghans may die from U.S. sanctions than at the hands of the Taliban. The U.S.'s attempts to block support for the new de facto government have prevented vital funding from flowing to the nation's civil servants, particularly in education and the health sector.

Dr. Paul Spiegel says conditions in the hospitals he visited in Kabul as part of a World Health Organization emergency team are rapidly deteriorating, and he describes the lack of heat and basic amenities as winter descended.

“There’s been a drought. There’s food insecurity. And all of this has been exacerbated due to this economic crisis and due to lack of the U.N. and NGOs being able to pay people in the field,” says Spiegel. “What we see now is that it’s not the Taliban that is holding us back. It is the sanctions,” says Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

 

Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues. 

On DN!, you’ll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events.

Missed an episode?  Check out DN on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change. 

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV, AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.

#democracynow Afghanistan Amy Goodman Dr. Paul Spiegel Humanitarian Crisis Jan Egeland Juan Gonzalez NGO Norwegian Refugee Council World Health Organization

Politics

Democracy Now! | Power-Held Prejudice: A Deeper Look into Authority and Animosity

Democracy Now! | Power-Held Prejudice: A Deeper Look into Authority and Animosity

The David Pakman Show

The David Pakman Show | Tommy Tuberville Stumbles on IVF Decision

The David Pakman Show | Tommy Tuberville Stumbles on IVF Decision

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! | Children in are Dying of Malnutrition and U.S. Only Calls for a Six-Week Cease-Fire

Democracy Now! | Children in are Dying of Malnutrition and U.S. Only Calls for a Six-Week Cease-Fire

The Stephanie Miller Show

The Stephanie Miller Show | Don't Underestimate Women This Election Year

The Stephanie Miller Show | Don't Underestimate Women This Election Year

Related

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! | The Israel-Hamas War

Democracy Now! | The Israel-Hamas War

Democracy Now!

Georgia Grand Jury Charges Trump & 18 Co-Conspirators with Racketeering for 2020 Election Interference

Georgia Grand Jury Charges Trump & 18 Co-Conspirators with Racketeering for 2020 Election Interference

Democracy Now!

Remembering Juan Ramos, Puerto Rican Activist & Leader of Philadelphia Young Lords

Remembering Juan Ramos, Puerto Rican Activist & Leader of Philadelphia Young Lords

Democracy Now!

100 Years of Statelessness: Kurdish activist walks 300 miles from D.C. to U.N. to demand Kurdish rights

100 Years of Statelessness: Kurdish activist walks 300 miles from D.C. to U.N. to demand Kurdish rights

Proud Partners