(DailyDig.com) – The inspector generals of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have begun an examination of the failure of the $230 million floating pier off the shore of Gaza, the Pentagon announced on June 27.
They built a temporary pier to supply Gazan civilians with humanitarian aid when other routes became unavailable. However, the many problems it has faced since opening in mid-May quickly ended the distribution of humanitarian aid. US officials often stated that the pier served only as a temporary solution for aid delivery, never intended to replace other land-based routes.
The military encountered logistical and operational challenges in building the pier at such a rapid pace. Defense officials rushed to implement President Biden’s plan because they received his announcement about the pier’s construction at the Pentagon just days before his public announcement.
As the pier opened, some humanitarian aid was delivered, and the United Nations (UN) began to unload the aid into their trucks. The ground security situation frequently interrupted the pier’s viability in those first few days. Then, rough seas in the Mediterranean Sea forced the pier to close in order to ensure the safety of US troops.
However, the sea tore the pier from its anchor twice, causing it to finally begin floating free as the sea tossed it about. Early in June, the pier was towed to the north for repairs. However, US officials have told organizations supplying aid that the pier may be permanently closed. The original plan was for it to end in September.
Robert P. Storch, the Pentagon’s Inspector General, said that the USAID and DoD teams will combine their forces to look into the problems connected with the assignment. They will use their resources and expertise to develop a comprehensive review of the failures of the mission.
On June 26, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Mike Rogers, said that the floating pier was a waste of money, and he urged the military to find other means of aid delivery.
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