Group is supported by the Koch brothers
The Concerned Veterans are supported by the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are sons of Fred Koch (1900-1967) who founded Koch Industries now the second largest privately held company in the US.. The brothers own 84 percent of the stock and remain in control of the family business and family foundations which they inherited. The brothers have made significant financial contributions to conservative and libertarian think tanks. They make large contributions to some Republican candidates particular those who lobby against any efforts to increase the government’s role in health care and mitigation of the negative effects of climate change Even by 1910 the Koch brothers had donated over $100 million to dozens of free-market and other advocacy organizations.
The timing of the ad campaign
The ad campaign is taking place just as Biden’s national security team is trying to decide whether the withdrawal should be delayed. Some fear that early withdrawal could be a wrong decision leading to a resurgence of terrorism and rise in the level of violence in Afghanistan.
During a speech last Thursday at the State Department Biden did not mention Afghanistan a fact that least some foreign policy experts took as a sign that Biden had not yet decided on how to solve the troop withdrawal dilemma. The veteran’s group proposal conforms with a deal that Trump made with the Taliban last year to withdraw all foreign troops by May.
Details of the deal
In the beginning the Concerned Veterans will spend $1.25 million on the new nationwide advertising campaign. One ad with the heading “20 Years Its Time” stressed the length of the war and urged viewers to pressure the White House and legislators to withdraw US troops.
Will Ruger, vice-president for foreign policy for Stand Together a Koch Network group said to media group Axios:”What we would like to do is find ways to work with the administration where there’s common ground.” However, Ruger noted that the president would no doubt indicate that a counter-terrorism force should be left in Afghanistan to ensure there is no rise in terrorism. However, this is a contradiction to the requirement that all US troops be withdrawn.
Stand Together’s actions
Since 2019 Stand Together has already spent In total, the campaign has generated over 700,000 emails to Washington leaders urging them to end the war.over $3 million on ads about the issue. The group’s campaign has managed to generate in total more than 700,000 emails urging US leaders to end the war in Afghanistan.
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