As U.S. troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, the military is planning to sell used equipment and hardware to nearby countries while also considering the complicated relations in the region, Military Times reported Monday.
Defense Department Spokesman Mark Wright said the items, including 800 mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, will be sold due to expensive shipping costs, Kathy Gannon writes.
Among those interested in buying is Pakistan, although statements from U.S. officials appear to indicate no equipment will be sold to the neighboring country, the report said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai believes anti-government insurgents are hiding in Pakistan, which its government denies.
However, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, head of the coalition forces in Afghanistan, has released a statement assuring, “[their] commitment to the Afghan people and the Afghan National Security Forces is unwavering.â€
According to the report, the “excess defense articles†are expected to generate $500 million in cost savings and millions more in revenue from the sale.
An estimated $6 billion in non-military hardware is also available.
Since 2013, the U.S. military has already earned $42 million from the sale of scrapped equipment, the report said.
