The Meaning of Abandoned Equipment

Last week, the Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG) published the latest results of the ongoing investigation of American operations in Afghanistan. According to the report, the DOD left approximately $7.1 billion in U.S.-funded equipment behind in the country. The Office of the Secretary of Defense asserted that the military had removed or destroyed all equipment used by American troops but acknowledged the Taliban had seized items from the American-backed regime after its collapse. The repeated epilogue of "abandoned equipment" ending up in the hands of the enemy underscores the...