Mystery in Iraq as $300 Million is Taken Abroad

[NVMojo]

holy shit! Batman!!

AGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 21 - Earlier this month, according to Iraqi officials, $300 million in American bills was taken out of Iraq's Central Bank, put into boxes and quietly put on a charter jet bound for Lebanon.

The money was to be used to buy tanks and other weapons from international arms dealers, the officials say, as part of an accelerated effort to assemble an armored division for the fledgling Iraqi Army. But exactly where the money went, and to whom, and for precisely what, remains a mystery, at least to Iraqis who say they have been trying to find out.

The $300 million deal appears to have been arranged outside the American-designed financial controls intended to help Iraq - which defaulted on its external debt in the 1990's - legally import goods. By most accounts here, there was no public bidding for the arms contracts, nor was the deal approved by the entire 33-member Iraqi cabinet.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/22/international/middleeast/22baghdad.html?ex=1264136400&en=20208739cb8efa47&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo

[NYC]

1. Same New York Times article here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1172755

[elehhhhna]

2. It's in an undiscosed location. Cheney's acount at Riggs.

[Moderator]

3. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1172755