Newsweek: The $87 Billion Money Pit

[Snellius]

It’s the boldest reconstruction project since the Marshall Plan. And we cannot afford to fail. But where are the billions really going?
...
Six months ago the administration decided to cut corners on normal bidding procedures and hand over large contracts to defense contractors like Bechtel and Halliburton on a limited-bid or no-bid basis. It bypassed the Iraqis and didn’t worry much about accountability to Congress. The plan was for “blitzkrieg” reconstruction. But by sacrificing accountability for speed, America is not achieving either very well right now. For months no one has seemed to be fully in charge of postwar planning. There has been so little transparency that even at the White House “it was almost —impossible to get a sense of what was happening” on the power problem, says one official privy to the discussions.

Numerous allegations of overspending, favoritism and corruption have surfaced. Halliburton, a major defense contractor once run by Vice President Dick Cheney, has been accused of gouging prices on imported fuel—charging $1.59 a gallon while the Iraqis “get up to speed,” when the Iraqi national oil company says it can now buy it at no more than 98 cents a gallon. (The difference is about $300 million.) Cronies of Iraqi exile leader Ahmad Chalabi, NEWSWEEK has learned, were recently awarded a large chunk of a major contract for mobile telecommunications networks.
...
Will that mean the effort gets bogged down even further, stymied by turf fights and bean counters? NEWSWEEK’s investigation indicates that there may be just as many problems ahead, raising serious questions about the vast amounts of money Bush has demanded for Iraq with little tolerance for debate.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/985304.asp?0cv=KA01

[dbt]

1. "Blitzkreig Reconstruction?"

There IS no shame among this bunch.

:puke:
dbt

[Jim Sagle]

3. After "Homelandt Sekurite", nothing is too far-fetched.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. Heimatssicherheitamt,

I believe is closer to being the correct term.

[leftchick]

2. They just showed the magazine cover on C-span!

Devastating for aWol and his cronies. He gave a quote from John McCain in the piece comparing Iraq to Vietnam! Can someone post the cover shot please? It is priceless! :)

[Dudley_DUright]

4. Here ya go

[dbt]

5. Ooooh! Poppy Flashback!

Does the phrase "deep doo-doo" ring a bell?

:bounce:
dbt

[Neecy]

6. the photo is perfect

A big closeup of his mug looking defensive and ignorant, the mouth open and lips curled as he unleashes yet another 'big lie' on the American public.

Even better is the headline - "Waste, Chaos, and Cronyism" - right next to his devil face.

[pansypoo53219]

10. ever more

chimp like

[Beetwasher]

8. Sweeet!

Might have to buy that one! It's a keeper! Nothing like a cover on Newsweek at all the checkout counters to get a point across...

[leftchick]

11. Thank you Dudley!

it is a keeper! :hi:

[cliss]

9. right, Neecy. I'm glad I'm not the only

one who cringes when I see his lips stick out.

There's $4 billion dollars missing from the "Help Iraq Fund". Where did they go? Here are some possibilities:

1) Paul "Babyface" Bremer gets an offshore checking account
2) Dick Cheney & Helliburton sit on the floor and split the money "one for me, one for you".
3) The $4 billion does a boomerang and recycles itself back to the Repugnant Pugs re-election campaign.
4) Ahmed Chalabi disappears to an island in the South Pacific, rewarded for telling the "cabal" what it wanted to hear.
5) money goes to the "reconstruction" contractors like WorldCon, Kellogg Brown Turd & Root Canal, Helluvaburton, and Bucktel.
6) money migrated to foreign governments to "entice" them to come to Sunny Iraq, but so far they haven't taken the bite.

*I've posted this on another thread, but just couldn't resist!