Iraq seen wasting $300 million on substandard military equipment

[tocqueville]

The Iraqi Defense Ministry has squandered more than $300 million buying faulty and outdated military equipment in what appears to be a massive web of corruption...

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/krwashbureau/20050714/ts_krwashbureau/_bc_usiraq_arms_exclusive_wa

[Larkspur]

1. We need Fitzgerald to go after Halliburton, Bechtel, and Cheney

Hope Rove is just the tip of the iceburg for Fitzgerald.

[anarchy1999]

2. This hurts just a Little too much. Where are our "represenatives" &

"senators", you know the "representatives" of the "people/sheeple".

When is enough going to be enough?

I guess we may already crossed the Rubicon.

[NuttyFluffers]

3. oh good, they're learning from us...

soon, one of these days they'll actually get to play with the big boys in terms of corruption, just like america! :sarcasm:

[Richard Steele]

11. Yeah, 300 mil on 'bad deals' is PEANUTS next to 9 BILLION just VANISHING!

What a bunch of WANNABE AMATEURS!
They arent fit to light the stove that Halliburton cooks its books on!

[0007]

4. Good old fashion Democracy working its way into the heart of the greedy

[maddezmom]

5. I think someone needs to talk to L.Paul Bremmer

about some of his handpicked Iraqis

[maxrandb]

6. Yes! They're "Free" to Waste Money

just like us. "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"!

[jhain]

7. Iraq arms scandal unfolds

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/12135711.htm

Iraq arms scandal unfolds

Vendors allegedly charged millions for shoddy war goods and gave kickbacks to Baghdad officials.

By Hannah Allam

Inquirer Foreign Staff

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi Defense Ministry has squandered more than $300 million buying faulty and outdated military equipment in what appears to be a huge web of corruption that flourished for a year or longer, U.S. and Iraqi military officials said this week.

Defense Minister Saadoun al-Duleimi confirmed an investigation was under way into vendors vastly overcharging for substandard equipment, including helicopters, machine guns and armored vehicles, and kicking back money to Iraqi Defense Ministry buyers. The defective equipment has jeopardized the lives of Iraq's embattled security forces and exposed a lack of oversight for one of the country's most crucial rebuilding projects.

Officials of Iraq's recently elected government have fired the main suspects in the scandal, and several former defense overseers are under investigation for possible criminal charges, Duleimi said in an interview this week.

****

Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus is the senior U.S. officer in charge of training and equipping Iraqi forces. He declined to comment on the allegations, saying it was a matter for the sovereign government of Iraq to resolve. The kickbacks took place under American-appointed Iraqi supervisors.

more

*****

The Blame Game Begins.

[lateo]

8. The hits just never stop...

If only we had a press corp that cared.

[underpants]

9. Hey boss I have a great idea-Let's sell them back the stuff they have

for a huge profit

Great Idea there son-why don't you come to my house this weekend

[malaise]

10. Good

Think of the men with whom the West does business - they are all corrupt despots. It has never been about democracy just self interest among thieves, robbers and murderers. Then when thieves fall out, innocent victims are slaughtered so the new despots and their Western allies can continue their vicious cycle of control by any means.
<edit -gr>

[anotherdrew]

12. 300million. that's less than a third of a billion, cheap by Iraq standards

[Kagemusha]

13. For economists at home: Offer 10% finder's fee to procurement guys

and look at what happens! You end up paying $3500 for MP5's that end up being Egyptian knock-offs worth $200 on the street. Why? Because the procurement guy got paid $350 for each of the guns!

Me, I'd have been tempted to just buy the $200 versions in bulk! But that's me.

[dArKeR]

14. Bush Family is using Al Qaeda network to funnel the funds back to TX.

[WhiteTara]

15. they are learning their

chops from heartless and dummy!