The President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Sean L. Callahan, issued an opinion column in mid-December, 2021, headlined, “The Future of Afghanistan Lies in Our Hands,” calling for both emergency food and other relief action, but also citing the fact of the U.S. freezing of Afghanistan national assets, which was, and is, preventing a “functioning government.” The CRS, based in Baltimore, is the global humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Bishops and provides aid in over 100 countries.
Callahan’s guest article first appeared in the Baltimore Sun, then was syndicated in local media from Montana to Maine by the end of the year. He gives information on the dire situation, and goes on to state, “But make no mistake: Humanitarian efforts alone cannot replace a government and a functioning economy. Money must get into the country quickly so that the public sector can be paid.” He reports that “billions of dollars in assets and aid have been frozen since August.”
