More than half a billion dollars earmarked to fight the insurgency in Iraq was stolen by people the U.S. had entrusted to run the country’s Ministry of Defense before the 2005 elections, according to Iraqi investigators.
Iraq’s former minister of finance says coalition members like the U.S. and Britain are doing little to help recover the money or catch suspects, most of whom fled the country. The 60 Minutes investigation also turned up audio recordings of a suspect who seems to be discussing the transfer of $45 million to the account of a top political adviser to the interim defense minister.
“We have not been given any serious, official support from either the United States or the U.K. or any of the surrounding Arab countries,”” says Ali Allawi, who was confronted with the missing funds when he took over as Iraq’s finance minister last year.
He thinks he knows why Iraqi investigators have gotten little help. “The only explanation I can come up with is that too many people in positions of power and authority in the new Iraq have been, in one way or another, found with their hands inside the cookie jar,” says Allawi, who left his post when a new Iraqi government was formed earlier this year. “And if they are brought to trial, it will cast a very disparaging light on those people who had supported them and brought them to this position of power and authority”.
At least we know the people with “real power” are doing their job. Why, just this weekend, our politicians and generals spent a lot of important time — talking and talking and talking. Do you think this topic came up at all?
Eidard did you draw that yourself?
My devotion to the arts have never included the slightest ability to draw.
I doubt if it came up this weekend.. It was on 60 minutes just last night.
Who believes 60 minutes anyway? Their devotion to, and lying for, liberal causes is well documented. Have we already forgotten the famous anchor who had to be fired for this? Tjis is a deliberate attempt to influence the vote.
You tell ’em, Curt. Don’t let stealing or dishonesty get in the way of running our government.
Neet,
Looks like the Corp ideal is progressing VERY well.
Since Johnson, we have spent seven TRILLION dollars on welfare and what do we have a third generation that won’t move away from danger unless the government does it for them. god, you don’t think there’s cheating and stealing going on there and everywhere the government distributes money. Look at what clinton gave North Vietnam and they laughed at us. Don’t use one case to paint one group of persons black. If you do you’re not worth listening to.
What corp(not counting Enron) doent know WHERE the money went?? If nothing else, just to hide it from Uncle sam, and taxes.
Then the Government cant keep its hands on money??
I get it. Your brain your statistics and your politics are all stuck in the RightWing side of the Sixties, Curt. Should we all join Young Americans for Freedom, next week?
And we are spending how much for this kind of result?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/video/page/0,,1927660,00.html
Yep, we are sure winning hearts and minds… for the other side.
or for you 60 minutes haters:
(look fo rthe “Iraq” segment, it should be the default.
http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/11/andy_rooney
You are right Curt. My radio is set to pick up Rush only and the newspaper turned to the editorial pages for Ann. (Tjis) way those liberals will never be able to influence my vote. The truth has set me free. Is this a great country or what??
how strange – didn’t conservatives used to be AGAINST government waste, fraud and abuse?
I mean, at least in public …
But then, Bush and Co. aren’t really conservatives, so I suppose their apologists aren’t, either.
But then, Bush and Co. aren’t really conservatives, so I suppose their apologists aren’t, either.
Thus, the term Neo-con (at least when I was using it back in the early ’90’s)
J/P=?
So who wastes up more money? The war on Iraq or the illegal immigrants?
Since Johnson, we have spent seven TRILLION dollars on welfare and what do we have a third generation that won’t move away from danger unless the government does it for them. god, you don’t think there’s cheating and stealing going on there and everywhere the government distributes money. Look at what clinton gave North Vietnam and they laughed at us. Don’t use one case to paint one group of persons black. If you do you’re not worth listening to.
Comment by Curt Fields — 10/23/2006 @ 11:51 am
Sorry Curt, I’m trying to follow your train of thought on this one.
Let’s see, “…we have spent seven TRILLION dollars on welfare”, That part makes sense, although I thought there had been much more money given away to the corporate welfare bums. But tell me, how do you spend on welfare? I thought the government gave the welfare money to companies.
“and what do we have a third generation that won’t move away from danger unless the government does it for them” This is where you lost me. What is the third generation? What danger won’t they move away from? Which government is doing what for them? Oopps, there is a period at the end of your sentence so there isn’t any question in that clause.
“god,” hhhmm the beginning of the sentence and you didn’t capitalize a proper noun, “God” which means 1) you don’t have any faith, or 2) don’t know that even if you don’t believe in God, you still start the first word in a sentence capitalized. Maybe you are really trying to demonstrate your atheist being.
“you don’t think there’s cheating and stealing going on there and everywhere the government distributes money.” Ok, if you insist that I believe there’s no cheating and stealing going on there, then I believe. I understand you don’t believe, remember “god”. It’s that everywhere that gets me, Curt. That is kinda pushing it. For instance, my wife gets paid by the state government even though she doesn’t work directly for them. I would be very disappointed to discover that she was cheating on me just because the government distributes money to her. And stealing? Geeze, I don’t know Curt, we’re pretty poor folk, I have no idea what she is doing with any money she is stealing.
“Look at what clinton gave North Vietnam and they laughed at us.” What is a clinton? I see you gave North Vietnam capitals so this can’t be President Clinton. So what did clinton give North Vietnam? If clinton gave it, then why did North Vietnam laugh at us? You see, Curt, I just don’t understand.
“Don’t use one case to paint one group of persons black.” Well, ok, how many gallons of paint will it take? You see, Curt, paint usually comes in one gallon cans, four per case. If you need more then that, it comes in five gallon pails. So you might better phrase this point as how much paint in gallons we should use. It might also help to know how many persons we are painting black too. Would a brush work or should I get a spray gun.
“If you do you’re not worth listening to.” I assume you meant if I use a whole case, or less, or is it more, to paint someone black you won’t listen. Now, again you confuse me. Why would I be worth less because of how much paint I used? To the best of my knowledge, my life insurance is the same amount. There aren’t any garnishments on my checks. Or do you mean you won’t listen if I use too much paint. Geeze, Curt, if I have to think too much I’ll get a headache.
#14. Real conservatives would not have presided over the monster budget bloat that Dumbya has. Or expansion of federal authority into local and state affairs like No Child Left Behind. Conservatives also tend to be notorious realpolitikers in foreign affairs, rather than neo-con Crusaders. the world is red of tooth and claw in the true conservative world-view, and the whole idea of ushering some democratic utopia in the Middle East cause a lot of eye-rolling in true conservative circles.
#15. considering that California’s agricultural economy would simply collapse without illegal aliens, and god knows what else would take a hit, my guess is Iraq.
Answer Angel, the War.
Half a billion? From U.S. taxpayers? So what?
In the first year of the Iraq occupation, American authorities (Bremer) took possession of TWENTY BILLION dollars from the Iraqi government — in cash, on pallets, in a warehouse. This wasn’t even our money — we swiped it from the Iraqis.
Bremer and his people used forklifts to move that much paper American cash around. And they moved it in bagfuls — cash only — in payment to American-only contractors, as no Europeans or Iraqis are permited to contact with our occupation government.
They surrendered up, without written contracts or receipts, every last penny of that 20 billion on the warehouse floor to the good men and women representing those American companies that contracted to rebuild Iraq. 20. Billion. Dollars. In. Cash.
And nothing was rebuilt, not much, before it became impossible to operate in Iraq. The electrical power grid, particularly, is still out, and was the primary spark of rebellion. Ever spend three summers in 127 degree heat without AC? And YES, they have AC — it’s not a poor country, or at least they weren’t before we *stole* the oil — where is that oil going, anyone asking?. They don’t have power plants, because we blew them up to shock and awe them. The water supply in Bagdad has feces in it. That money was looted, boys and girls.
And we are bitching about the IRAQI’S stealing half a billion? We stll owe them 20. With interest.
Mr. I Got A Headache Fusion or is it ConFusion. Jeez you talk alot. What a bore.
(I guess you’ll pick this apart also, for paragraph after paragraph……………………..yawn)