Exhibit 395

The Afghanistan Papers: Costs and Benefits of America's Longest War, S. Hrg. 116-203

Exhibit 395 · Congressional hearing record

The Afghanistan Papers: Costs and Benefits of America's Longest War, S. Hrg. 116-203

We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan--we didn't know what we were doing.

Hearing with Sopko, Lute, Boucher and Lt. Col. Daniel Davis. Senators Paul and Lee quote Lute, Boucher and Crowley from SIGAR interviews; Sopko testifies on the interview program and on metrics being classified.

Source: U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
Date: 11 February 2020
Quoted from: Sen. Paul, opening statement quoting Lute's 2015 SIGAR interview, p. 2
Grade: Primary record
Document: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-116shrg40386/html/CHRG-116shrg40386.htm
Accessed: 2026-11-09
Cited by: Findings citing this exhibit
Note: Boucher quoted at p. 3; Crowley (as quoted by Sen. Lee) at p. 32; Sopko on the Post stories at pp. 5-6 and on classified metrics at p. 13.

Cited by

Finding DEF-2.9: Reported At a Senate hearing on 11 February 2020 senators quoted SIGAR interview records in which Lute, in 2015, said "We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan--we didn't know what we were doing." Senators also quoted Boucher on seeking "the unachievable" and Crowley on the presentation of altered data. At the same hearing the Special Inspector General, Sopko, testified that "every time we find something that looks like it is going negative, it gets classified or it is no longer relevant."