Audit: Fraud drained $1 billion from Iraq's defense efforts

[deminks]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi investigators have uncovered widespread fraud and waste in more than $1 billion worth of weapons deals arranged by middlemen who reneged or took huge kickbacks on contracts to arm Iraq's fledgling military, according to a confidential report and interviews with U.S. and Iraqi officials.

Knight Ridder reported last month that $300 million in defense funds had been lost. But the report indicates that the audit board uncovered a much larger scandal, with losses likely to exceed $500 million, that's roiling the ministry as it struggles to build up its armed forces.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, which oversees civilian advisers to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, didn't consent to on-the-record interviews about the investigation. In response to a request for comment, it issued a statement that said embassy officials were aware of the allegations and that, even before they became public, "we were advising the Iraqis about our concerns relating to MoD decisions on procurement and the possibility of corruption."

"Before me, there was another prime minister. His name was Bremer," Ayad Allawi, who served as interim premier when the corruption investigation began sometime last year, told Knight Ridder. "He ran this country, he had this ministry and a lot of the corruption started then. ... There was no auditing. Airplanes were flying in and the money was handed out in suitcases."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12360839.htm

[Roland99]

1. Yeah, you know it's bad if Allawi is complaining!

[daleo]

2. That's quite a zinger Allawi gave to Bremer

No doubt Allawi is into it too, though. They are all connected to Bush.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Kicked and nominated. Thanks--I'm doing an interview next week

with the head of the House Armed Services Committee on the topic of national security. This topic will make for an interesting question.

[swag]

4. Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal!

These bold heroes of our time!

[Megahurtz]

5. Awww Hey! What's a Little Fraud Anyway?

Bush&Corp does it, so it must be okay then!

They've set a wonderful example so that everyone in the "Land of the Free" does it all the time!!!

So hey!:evilgrin:
What's wrong with a little stealing from others as long as you can get away with it?

:sarcasm:

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Shh, that's now called "Democracy". BushCo bring it on!

You can tell by the outrage voiced by the Bush administration over this, and the loss of 8.8 billion dollars, and the subsequent $72 million Halliburton bonus. Bonus! Sheesh, free money for your buddies. How much more obvious does it get.

[Barrett808]

7. "Airplanes were flying in and the money was handed out in suitcases"

That pretty much summarizes the Bush mafia's approach to the asset-stripping instrument known as the Iraq war.

[BootinUp]

8. a billion here, a billion there...woopdee doo.

:sarcasm:

[VegasWolf]

9. They were using the cheap Halliburton calculator. nt

[struggle4progress]

10. Well, golly gee: wadda soup-rise!

[slay]

11. When will people realize that Republicans are nothing more than dressed up

criminals?!?! They have no intention of even trying to account for all that money. I am convinced that people vote Republican for reasons of greed, hatred, intolerance, and stupidity. :(