Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz: 'The U.S. Military Is Spending $20 Million for Firewood

During a House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) revealed that the U.S. military is currently spending about $20 million on firewood. That's right, firewood.

"It mentions in your report that the U.S. military is spending $20 million for firewood. Is there any justification for $20 million in Afghan firewood?" Chaffetz asks John F. Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

"Mr. Chairman that was one of the more interesting comments my auditor told me is that -- you are absolutely correct we are paying…approximately $20 million a year for firewood," Sopko confirmed. "And when my auditors asked for documentation on what we spent on firewood, we were basically told quote unquote 'we don't have, the records we just spend the money.'"

Watch part of the hearing titled "SIGAR Report: Document Destruction and Millions of Dollars Unaccounted for at the Department of Defense. Part II" below:

Front page image by AP/Charles Dharapak.