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BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions.

Baculus

By Baculus
in The Tailgate

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Baculus

Baculus

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BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions

By Jane Corbin - BBC News

A BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn (£11.75bn) may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq.

The BBC's Panorama programme has used US and Iraqi government sources to research how much some private contractors have profited from the conflict and rebuilding.

A US gagging order is preventing discussion of the allegations.

The order applies to 70 court cases against some of the top US companies.

War profiteering

While Presdient George W Bush remains in the White House, it is unlikely the gagging orders will be lifted.

To date, no major US contractor faces trial for fraud or mismanagement in Iraq.

The president's Democratic opponents are keeping up the pressure over war profiteering in Iraq.

Henry Waxman, who chairs the House committee on oversight and government reform, said: "The money that's gone into waste, fraud and abuse under these contracts is just so outrageous, it's egregious.

It may well turn out to be the largest war profiteering in history."

Click the following link to read the rest of the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7444083.stm

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JMS

JMS

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This is really old news. Remember before the last presidential election Bush had 12 billion dollars in 100$ bills moved from the federal reserve to the Green Zone in Iraq. CASH!!! From May 2003-2004. They used fork lifts to move the money which weighed an estimated 363 tons.

Paul Bremmer and one assistant distributed all that money and didn't keep any records. Total mystery where the money went. One US contractor acknowledged being paid from that slush fund. He took his money home in a duffle bag...

Breammer said at the time they were trying to restart the iraqi economy with an infusion of cash.... WITH AMERICAN MONEY!!!

From the American Conservative..

http://www.amconmag.com/2005/2005_10_24/cover.html

Add to that the 100,000 assault weapons which American tax payers purchased for the Iraqi military, which we have no records of where they went... or if they ever actually existed... All we have is the reciept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/opinion/07tue3.html

I thought this thread was going to be about the billions of billions of dollars Saddams folks made off with on the eve of the invasion. Remember his sons went to their national reserve bank and drove a tractor trailer full of cash out the loading dock. Never heard whatever happenned to that money either.

3 trillion dollar war, of coarse there's going to be profiteering.

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Baculus

Baculus

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This is really old news. Remember before the last presidential election Bush had 12 billion dollars in 100$ bills moved from the federal reserve to the Green Zone in Iraq. CASH!!! From May 2003-2004. They used fork lifts to move the money which weighed an estimated 363 tons.

Paul Bremmer and one assistant distributed all that money and didn't keep any records. Total mystery where the money went. One US contractor acknowledged being paid from that slush fund. He took his money home in a duffle bag...

Breammer said at the time they were trying to restart the iraqi economy with an infusion of cash.... WITH AMERICAN MONEY!!!

From the American Conservative..

http://www.amconmag.com/2005/2005_10_24/cover.html

Add to that the 100,000 assault weapons which American tax payers purchased for the Iraqi military, which we have no records of where they went... or if they ever actually existed... All we have is the reciept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/opinion/07tue3.html

I thought this thread was going to be about the billions of billions of dollars Saddams folks made off with on the eve of the invasion. Remember his sons went to their national reserve bank and drove a tractor trailer full of cash out the loading dock. Never heard whatever happenned to that money either.

3 trillion dollar war, of coarse there's going to be profiteering.

Of course this is "old news" - I was ranting and raving about this years ago on the Tailgate. But it doesn't mean it should disappear down the memory hole, as some would prefer.

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JMS

JMS

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Of course this is "old news" - I was ranting and raving about this years ago on the Tailgate. But it doesn't mean it should disappear down the memory hole, as some would prefer.

I wasn't criticizing. It's old news to some of us, but you are right; it's new to many. Besides... I like your "ranting and raving.." I usually learn something.

I was just trying to contribute....

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techboy

techboy

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I heard this story on NPR the other day. I'm wondering, though, how this:

The order applies to 70 court cases against some of the top US companies.

goes with this...

To date, no major US contractor faces trial for fraud or mismanagement in Iraq.

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Baculus

Baculus

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I wasn't critising. It's old news to some of us, but you are right; it's new to many. Besides... I like your "ranting and raving.." I usually learn something.

I was just trying to contribute....

Ah, OK - sorry amigo, I didn't mean to seem like I was snapping at you. I often receive negative responses from folks in the past whenever I brought up this issue, so I sometimes have a defensive reflex.

Kudos for the information you posted JMS! :cheers:

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Baculus

Baculus

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I heard this story on NPR the other day. I'm wondering, though, how this.

goes with this...

Well, how many have been shielded from the courts, partially due to legal protections offered by the Bush administration?

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twa

twa

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Well, how many have been shielded from the courts, partially due to legal protections offered by the Bush administration?

There sure are a lot of accusations, but very little facts in the story aside from

Missing billions

The search for the missing billions also led the programme to a house in Acton in west London where Hazem Shalaan lived until he was appointed to the new Iraqi government as minister of defence in 2004.

He and his associates siphoned an estimated $1.2bn out of the ministry. They bought old military equipment from Poland but claimed for top-class weapons.

Meanwhile they diverted money into their own accounts.

Judge Radhi al-Radhi of Iraq's Commission for Public Integrity investigated.

He said: "I believe these people are criminals.

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Baculus

Baculus

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There sure are a lot of accusations, but very little facts in the story aside from

Missing billions

The search for the missing billions also led the programme to a house in Acton in west London where Hazem Shalaan lived until he was appointed to the new Iraqi government as minister of defence in 2004.

He and his associates siphoned an estimated $1.2bn out of the ministry. They bought old military equipment from Poland but claimed for top-class weapons.

Meanwhile they diverted money into their own accounts.

Judge Radhi al-Radhi of Iraq's Commission for Public Integrity investigated.

He said: "I believe these people are criminals.

The article is a conversation starter. As I said, I wish the article had provided more details, but if you read subsequent posts, further additional information has been posted. In fact, if you Google iraq war profiteering, you will discover a great deal of information pertaining to this subject.

A lot of this has been very, very well known for at least several years (and discussed several times on this forum), and war profiteering is an issue that dates back as far as WW1 (which is one reason why Robert Lafollette voted against the US's entry into that conflict).

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twa

twa

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The article is a conversation starter. As I said, I wish the article had provided more details, but if you read subsequent posts, further additional information has been posted. In fact, if you Google iraq war profiteering, you will discover a great deal of information pertaining to this subject.

A lot of this has been very, very well known for at least several years (and discussed several times on this forum), and war profiteering is an issue that dates back as far as WW1 (which is one reason why Robert Lafollette voted against the US's entry into that conflict).

Well I'm sure Waxman and co will track it down...unless they get paid off ;)

Then maybe they can find the money that gets lost here in the US :rolleyes:

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Baculus

Baculus

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Well I'm sure Waxman and co will track it down...unless they get paid off ;)

Then maybe they can find the money that gets lost here in the US :rolleyes:

I feel like our government is bleeding billions of dollars in a thousands cuts. In addition to this issue, I always raise the point of the missing, mis-appropriated, and mis-spent billions in government spending.

Just think if we had invested all of these misbegotten funds into alternative energy or a generalized health care plan, or re-invested into the crumbling infrastructure, or helped veterans with their post-war conditions...or a million other positive public functions, other then lining the pockets of some private corporation.

It is a disgrace.

Harry S. Truman referred to war profiteering as being "treasonous," and I agree.

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ECU-ALUM

ECU-ALUM

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I feel like our government is bleeding billions of dollars in a thousands cuts. In addition to this issue, I always raise the point of the missing, mis-appropriated, and mis-spent billions in government spending.

Just think if we had invested all of these misbegotten funds into alternative energy or a generalized health care plan, or re-invested into the crumbling infrastructure, or helped veterans with their post-war conditions...or a million other positive public functions, other then lining the pockets of some private corporation.

It is a disgrace.

Harry S. Truman referred to war profiteering as being "treasonous," and I agree.

:applause: That pretty well says it all.

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twa

twa

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I feel like our government is bleeding billions of dollars in a thousands cuts. In addition to this issue, I always raise the point of the missing, mis-appropriated, and mis-spent billions in government spending.

Just think if we had invested all of these misbegotten funds into alternative energy or a generalized health care plan, or re-invested into the crumbling infrastructure, or helped veterans with their post-war conditions...or a million other positive public functions, other then lining the pockets of some private corporation.

It is a disgrace.

Harry S. Truman referred to war profiteering as being "treasonous," and I agree.

Oh,I agree they waste and give away too much money.

Government is inherently corrupt

one example ;)

http://ibdeditorial.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=298595185267130

I'm curious,do you believe private contractors should make a profit?..is that treasonous?

I'm not in favor of using them at all,but that is a different matter.

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