Iraq, Afghan Spending Scrutinized

[unhappycamper]

Iraq, Afghan Spending Scrutinized
February 02, 2009
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Poor planning, weak oversight and greed combined to soak U.S. taxpayers and undermine American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, government watchdogs tell a new commission examining waste and corruption in wartime contracts.

Since 2003, the Pentagon, State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development have paid contractors more than $100 billion for goods and services to support war operations and rebuilding.

There are 154 open criminal investigations into allegations of bribery, conflicts of interest, defective products, bid rigging, and theft stemming from the wars, according to Thomas Gimble, the Pentagon's principal deputy inspector general.

The Associated Press obtained the prepared testimony of Gimble and Stuart Bowen, special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, in advance of Monday's first hearing by the Commission on Wartime Contracting.

Congress created the bipartisan panel a year ago over the objections of the Bush White House, which complained the Justice Department might be forced to disclose sensitive information about investigations.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/iraq-afghan-spending-scrutinized.html?col=1186032310810