Army sees use for $36M Afghan building over objections

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/12/army-sees-use-36m-afghan-building-over-objections

Army sees use for $36M Afghan building over objections
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
The Washington Post
© December 4, 2013

This past summer, the Army began investigating why the military spent nearly $36 million to construct a well-appointed 64,000-square-foot headquarters in southwestern Afghanistan that commanders in the area did not want and has never been used.

The two-star Army general in Kabul who conducted the inquiry has determined that the decision to commission the building was appropriate — and recommended that U.S. troops move in, after more work is done on the facility.

The finding has left some other senior military officers aghast.

"The Army built us an enormous white elephant, and now, to save face, we're being told to waste more money and time to move into it," said a senior Marine officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to comment on the investigation. "We don't need it. We're packing up there."