Audit: $9 Billion Unaccounted for in Iraq

[Scurrilous]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=5&u=/ap/20050130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_funds

<snip>

"The U.S. occupation authority in Iraq was unable to keep track of nearly $9 billion it transferred to government ministries, which lacked financial controls, security, communications and adequate staff, an inspector general has found.

The U.S. officials relied on Iraqi audit agencies to account for the funds but those offices were not even functioning when the funds were transferred between October 2003 and June 2004, according to an audit by a special U.S. inspector general.

The findings were released Sunday by Stuart Bowen Jr., special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. Bowen issued several reports on the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the U.S. occupation government that ruled Iraq from June 2003 to June 2004."

<snip>

"The inspector general said the occupying agency disbursed $8.8 billion to Iraqi ministries "without assurance the moneys were properly accounted for."
U.S. officials, the report said, "did not establish or implement sufficient managerial, financial and contractural controls." There was no way to verify that the money was used for its intended purposes of financing humanitarian needs, economic reconstruction, repair of facilities, disarmament and civil administration."

[underpants]

1. DAMN! I should have sent a resume to the Heritage Foundation

those kids are going to be flying out of Iraq with suitcases of cash.

Stupid morals. I should have known better.

[burythehatchet]

3. no shit

who wants to bet that a bunch of junior neo-cons are impressing their friends with brand new Bimmers and Rolexes after returning to DC

[underpants]

7. 21 year old, sitting behind a desk, pile of cash dropped in front of them

no receipt is signed, courier leaves the room, looks around.........

Being 21 years old has nothing to do with it. Free untraceable money being dropped in front of you is one hell of a test of morals.

[burythehatchet]

9. ..and we are pretty familiar with the moral compass of a

21 y.o. neo-con in training

[underpants]

14. Ever seen "Three Kings" (Clooney flick)

I might get flamed for this but I hope some of the troops filled up some cargo pockets. We already know that several soldiers were busted early on, when "Saddam's money" was being found, but they were trying to steal so much money that it took two people to carry-stupid. If they get caught they should be prosecuted but I hope they get their share of the greatest heist in the history of the world. There I said it.

[burythehatchet]

48. one of CLooney's better roles

ill-gotten gains only lead to misery. Karma does not discriminate.

[deadparrot]

2. Move on, folks...

Nothing to see here.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

34. Posted by deadparrot

eeez not dead, eeez just sleeping I tell you!!! Love your name... hope I got the reason for it right... lol

[deadparrot]

40. You got it. :) nt

[B3Nut]

66. a moose once bit my sister...

...no rjeally!

:D

tOdd in Beerbratistan

[buzzard]

45. I have two parrots sometimes I wish they were quiet not dead, also have

one stuffed one in a cage.

[Up2Late]

64. Oh you would LOVE this "This America Life" episode

You Are So Beautiful ... To Me
<http://www.thislife.org/>

1/3/03
Episode 228
Act One. Polly Wants More Than a Cracker.
Veronica Chater explains the conflict in her house between her love for her pet macaw--a kind of parrot--and her love for her husband and three kids. The macaw wreaks a sort of low-level chaos in the house, because it wants Veronica all to itself. b (10 minutes)
:evilgrin:

[buzzard]

72. Thanks for the link, I also have husband and three children and at

times it's true they do wreak chaos actually several times a day. My double yellow speaks very well and at times breaks out into some old Vera Lynn song learned from when he was with this older lady. The husband wouldn't keep it because it sounds like his wife who passed away.

[egoprofit]

110. it's just a few billion...

wow if i only had a dollar for every customer mcdonalds has ever served...

[Rex]

4. They hand out OUR money and spend it like it was unlimited.

Yet the media won't do shit about it.

[cthrumatrix]

54. Media dump --- same day as ELECTION , coinky-dink

[Up2Late]

65. Why would the MSM say anything about it?

They are probable getting a few 100 Million too:think:

[twaddler01]

5. i wonder...

Where did the money go? :shrug:

[Overseas]

12. To Pay the Media that Hype the War

They owe millions to the pundits they must have hired to ignore the truth for over 4 years now.

[cliss]

46. I know......it went to one man

his name is L. Paul "Goldfinger" Bremer.

Recall how quickly he got his ass out of Iraq last summer. His Royal "Governorship" was about to expire, and he got the hell out of Dodge 2 days before he was supposed to leave.

The missing money happened on his watch. He promised a full accounting of the money. It was going to be done on the Internet. I waited patiently. No such accounting ever came.

He left, though.

Look no further than Mr. Bremer.

[salin]

6. Interesting timing to release the findings of the audit.

[underpants]

8. Data dump

Great opportunity to get out all that nasty information of institutional graft.

BTW-Bremer is full of sh*t. I haven't run this by my wife yet but having an accounting degree and running an annual audit this is basic accounting controls. They were handing out CHUNKS of cash so pleading chaos doesn't work. Even if we were talking about $50 at a time there still should have been some sort of paper trail established. It is not like they stormed in there trying to repair everything from day one-they had to secure it first.

[salin]

10. Bingo!

Even if it was vague - there should have been some paper trail... $1,500 given to x to secure a contract to do y ... under better conditions there would then be receipts that match - but to not even record how much was being dispursed to whom for what intent? Puhlease.

[underpants]

13. *RED FLAG* *RED FLAG*

I mentioned my wife because (accounting degree too) she knows more about this than I but all of this sends up red flags all over the freakin' place.

I might get flamed for this but I hope some of the troops filled up some cargo pockets. We already know that several soldiers were busted early on, when "Saddam's money" was being found, but they were trying to steal so much money that it took two people to carry-stupid. If they get caught they should be prosecuted but I hope they get their share of the greatest heist in the history of the world. There I said it.

[salin]

16. I think it is more likely

that it was money that was flowing (in huge overcharges) to private companies... probably claimed they needed to bribe locals (and very well may have - but probably at a lower rate than claimed) and inflated the costs of job. Since the contractors were politically tied Iwould guess that there was a lot of looking the other way - and very possibly some kickbacks since they were dealing with piles of cash. Just thinking that given the size of money unnaccounted for that it is more likely graf and fraud in big increments than individual soldiers looting.

[twaddler01]

19. sad what war brings with it...

Isn't it? The list among others to never start a war. Sadly, this war wasn't nessesary ;(

[HysteryDiagnosis]

35. sad what war brings with it...

War brings with it the truth, and the real reasons for war, money, profit, agression, global hegemony, did I mention money?

www.addictedtowar.com

[underpants]

21. Of course

I was just trying to proclaim that I *hoped* the troops took a bit too.

You are right in the amounts of funds being moved around it is surely more likely that the corporations (name?) acting as middle men had plenty of opportunity to steal. It is theft.

[Jose Diablo]

11. Who says it even went to Iraq

Maybe it went into a black hole at Riggs bank in DC. Then from there, who knows?

[underpants]

15. Ha! Good point

stealing money that never left where it was. What a great laundering operation.

[struggle4progress]

105. It was Iraqi oil money

Iraq reconstruction funds missing
13 Hours,53 minutes Ago

: Almost $9bn of Iraqi oil revenue is missing from a fund set up by the to reconstruct the country. The BBC's File On 4 programme has learnt that out of over $20bn raised in oil revenues during US-led rule, the use of $8.8bn is unaccounted for.

US government auditors criticise the Coalition Provisional Authority for failing to manage the money properly. In one case, auditors say the key to a safe holding millions of dollars was kept in an open backpack in an office.

"There was insufficient internal control to assure that money was spent for the benefit of the Iraqis, as the UN Security Council resolution mandated," said chief auditor Ms Ginger Cruz. <snip>

On one occasion, $1.4bn had to be transported to a bank in three helicopters, as it weighed 14 tons, but no deposit slip was obtained when it was paid in. <snip>

http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=101904

[Freedom_from_Chains]

17. Another amazing success in the war on terrror.

[brentspeak]

18. "Without assurance the money were properly accounted for."

That was done deliberately, of course. Nine billion of our hard-earned dollars targeted for the slimy hands that shook the slimy hands of Bush aides during Washington cocktail parties.

[DainBramaged]

63. The Red stater's can be assured that their tax money is going

into the right pockets. They voted for these scumbags, let them feel the pain when they complain about the inevitable tax increases before the Chimpster leaves office.

This totally fucked administration of criminals will do everything in their power to deflect from this story and get something else on the front page.

[They_LIHOP]

96. You mean on page Q91 I think...

Tomorrow's Sections A-P will be special inserts on the USA's, er, Iraq's glorious election and how triumphant it was for bush and how much everybody in the world LOVES him now, so we better all get on the bandwagon.

In fact, every major newspaper in the country is running the same above-the-fold headline:
"Iraqi's Vote "Yes" On Freedom!!!"
subtitle:
"Bush: 'Freedom is on the March. In fact, there is no stopping freedom. So don't even try.'"

FUQ YOU BUSH YOU FUQ'ING POS FUQWAD DIP$HIT!

Sorry, just had to say this or else I'd put my fist through the wall...

If the Dems don't absolutely JUMP UP AND DOWN SCREAMING about this - then our friggin country is absolutely totally done for.

Oh wait. We are absolutely totally done for.

[twaddler01]

20. Could this be going to the Bushies eventually?

This money could be used to help establish our "base" there. Then we can be quick to get started on important things, like drilling oil for lots of cash$$$$.

:bounce:

[louis-t]

22. "to stop paying armed young men"

First, Bremer is an idiot. Wasn't it he who fired the whole Iraqi army/police force? Jeez, their words betray them every time.

[sunnystarr]

71. Maybe that 9 Billion is why Bush gave Bremer his medal. (nt)

[mediaman007]

23. I give up...You caught me. But I want a 10% recovery fee!

I can't imagine what that could be used for in this country.

Where are the Democrats? Shouldn't there be hearings? Especially before they give the crook another $80 B. We'd have to go back to the early 20's and the Tea Pot Dome scandal to find this much theft.

[brentspeak]

24. I want to see a press conference on the Capital Steps

conducted by a vanguard of Democrats. Like tomorrow.

[underpants]

26. Here is how any hearings would go

(this is assuming some measure of Dem balls)

Where is the money?

We don't know

You don't know?

No there was no paper trail

Should you have had a paper trail?

There isn't any

Why not?

Because there isn't any look I've already explained this if you are going to start a witchhunt fine but you can do that on your own time.

JiM Angle reports from "Pebble Beach": Bush administration officials today tried to get back to work taking advantage of the overwhelming success of the Iraqi elections...Britt

Britt: Indeed

[mediaman007]

33. LOL...Priceless!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

38. Should you have had a paper trail? There isn't any Why not?

Because we won the election without a paper trail and got away with it and nobody has enough balls to call us on an illegal method for tallying votes.... sooooo, we just decided we could play through as if nothing is going on.



Now before I get flamed... I know the money went missing before selection 2004.... but I just couldn't resist putting this up here....

[twaddler01]

30. I think it's time...

all of us at DU run for office...

[cthrumatrix]

57. the common people are a threat to the Global Elite ..... that's the truth

[anarchy1999]

25. 9 Billion? Unaccounted for and we let this go on and on and on?

What in god's name, or whoever oversees our universe, what the hell?

I go back to Mark Twain's "War Prayer" and Ike's farewell address to the nation. BEWARE OF THE MILITARY/INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.

ONCE AGAIN, $9 BILLION, unaccounted for!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[mom cat]

51. I wonder how much more this is than the alledged "Oil for Food" loss.

[cthrumatrix]

55. there better be a congressional investigation- stop funding NOW

[mom cat]

59. I'll vote for that!

[Up2Late]

69. Don't be fooled by that one

The "Oil for Food" loss thing, was (is)a distraction story for the
"Oil gone missing" story :think:that broke a few days later.

Wednesday, 15 December, 2004

US 'failed to control' Iraq oil:spank:
By Mark Gregory
BBC World Service business correspondent

The panel said US-led authorities failed to deal with widespread oil smuggling

A United Nations panel has found that the US-led occupation authority failed to exercise proper controls over Iraq's oil industry and could not say how much oil had gone missing since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

The International Advisory and Monitoring Board report also said there were "important weaknesses" in the management by occupation officials of up to $20bn in Iraqi funds, mostly from oil sales.

US politicians have often accused the UN of incompetence and, perhaps, corruption in its handling of the oil-for-food programme, a scheme to alleviate Iraqi suffering under sanctions before the war. Now the boot is on the other foot.

Revenue 'lost'

The panel, which also includes representatives from the IMF and the World Bank, expressed particular concern about how large contracts paid out of Iraqi funds were given to US firms, such as the oil services group
:hi:Halliburton:hi:, without competitive bidding.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4098729.stm>

[mom cat]

114. Thanks for the article. It makes the comparison far better than I did.

[EVDebs]

27. Is that part of the $2.3 trillion DoD already can't account for ?

"The War on Waste" http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/29/eveningnews/main325985.shtml

"According to some estimates we cannot track $2.3 trillion in transactions," Rumsfeld admitted."

The IG at DoD is either part of the problem or needs much more help !

[underpants]

29. OMG! Thank you I have been looking all over for that article

one of the most forgotten facts of this administration. Note the date.

Not that it is this administration's fault mind you (this was the beginning of the campaign by Rummy to "modernize" the military) it IS something that needs to be fixed.

Thanks again bookmarking

[EVDebs]

43. Clean up that mess in your pants, it gets worse...read the

War Powers Act of 1973 http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/index.php?act=ST&f=103&t=17277&st=0#entry169159

and the Joint Resolution authorizing the war in Iraq
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-2.html

and note that this war is open-ended, meaning that some have said five years (Gen Franks' book) and others have said ten to twenty years (Sen John McCain on CNN for one). The neocons can't tell us when this war on terror will end nor the war in Iraq. Only Congress's reporting requirements and the power of the purse limit this folly.

We need to get Democrats into Congress to limit these adventures and Bush's "interventionist" march of liberty without an invitation.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

103. The 2.3 trillion loss story was another 9/11 casualty

it might have gotten more attention in another climate.

[moobu2]

28. If the Dems were to raise hell about this FOX news would

Be screaming that they were encouraging the terrorists...those bastards.

Think of what we could have done with that money.

[underpants]

39. $9B = Social Security, > Commerce, >EPA, ~=Interior, 1/2 Justice,>1/2 NASA

2005
Social Security $9.1 Billion
Commerce $5.7 Billion
EPA $7.8 Billion
Interior $10.08 Billion
Treasury $10.08 Billion
Corp of Engineers $4.0 Billion




NASA $16.2 Billion
Justice $18.7 Billion






http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/budget.html

[struggle4progress]

31. Must be time for another diversionary wingnut attack on Annan and the UN

[LibDemAlways]

32. Check Cheney's wallet.

Thought I saw a picture of him recently with a big bulge in his pants. Or it might be sewn into the lining of that giant Parka he was wearing the other day. No one would suspect a thing.

[nodictators]

95. He was wearing that parka at a solemn ceremony at AUSCHWITZ!

It was totally inappropriate for Cheney to dress that way. All of the other dignataries, including Putin, were appropriately dressed in black coats.

[LibDemAlways]

101. I know. He looked like an ass.

The big overstuffed coat was vastly inappropriate for the occasion and sent the message that Cheney doesn't give a shit about anything. He's one of the most evil SOBs on the planet. However, it still looks like the kind of item in which he could stuff a wad of ill-gotten cash, if he were so inclined.

[youngdem]

36. Imagine that..

9 billion dollars, poof, gone. There is absolutely no excuse for this.

[bvar22]

37. Check under Paul "Medal of Freedom" Bremmer's bed.

Alot of that money stuck to Paul, accidentally of course.
As the Viceroy of Iraq, he is PERSONALLY responsible for every damned dime, and should be held to account!

[teakee]

127. You are right. ....

Don't you just laugh at his fashion trend that Rummy copied? Boots with suits. LOL. Wonder how many new suits ole Bremer is wearing lately?

[moobu2]

41. How many millions are in a billion? I forgot...

[underpants]

42. 1,000

Sleep well

See my "perspective" above

[lovuian]

44. Oh it was only a few Billion!!! Tsk Tsk!!!

Its a bitch when you have auditors!!!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

47. Say it like this, it has a much greater impact.......

NINE THOUSAND MILLION DOLLARS UNACCOUNTED FOR IN IRAQ. TAXPAYERS MONEY, ALL, VETS SLEEPING IN THE STREETS IN THE U.S., 45 MILLION AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTHCARE, MANY OF THEM CHILDREN, ELDERLY AMERICANS WHO CANNOT AFFORD MEDICATIONS, AND ON AND ON AND ON.... NOW TELL ME THAT THE INSANE ARE LOCKED AWAY IN INSTITUTIONS WHILE THE REST OF US ARE COMPLETELY NORMAL. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY FREAKING UNBELIEVABLE.

[Up2Late]

60. We Agree, But calm down

Don't let them destroy your bliss. A calm mind, is a productive mind.:hug:

And besides, "they" put ALL the Mentally Ill out onto the streets back in the early 1970's, :hippie:probably NOT for the reasons the States claimed.

The "Insane Asylums" had become under funded Warehouses, for the "Insane." I'm sure the major Drug Corporations make a lot more money, this way, too. :evilfrown:

[natrat]

49. recent stat: big rise in Cayman Islands offshore bank accounts

cant remember where i saw it but the first thing i thought of was *ush's slime ball friend don eveans. He just had the look of someone who just hit Lotto. What kills me is easily they have been able to just roll people over.

[teryang]

50. saw an article on suspicious increased offshore buying of US

...treasury bonds. The origin of it was undetermined. It was believed that parties unknown were trying to somehow bolster the market for US government debt and still keep interest rates down.

I don't know anything about that and don't understand the math, but I think that this is the source of some of those funds. Obviously, Halliburton and other government connected fronts operate from these offshore accounts which permit them to circumvent US law and do whatever they want.

From the crooks that brought you Enron.

[reichstag911]

52. US treasury securities?

That would demonstrate how dumb they are! The smart money -- think Bill Gates and Warren Buffett -- is buying the yuan.

[teryang]

94. The money is borrowed and then stolen

...and finally used to bolster value of US treasury securities. The article had speculated that the secret purchasers were either Japanese or European central banks trying to keep their central reserve holdings of such securities from collapse in value. It's a new version of a plunge protection scheme postponing the currency collapse crisis.

[indepat]

53. Is $9 billion but the tip of a vast iceberg considering no-bid contracts

and total unaccountability?

[many a good man]

56. $9 billion here, $9 billion there...pretty soon yer talkin' real money!

I know the Democrats could really use a couple of BILLION for "party-building" activities...

There must be some way somebody could track this immense amount of $$$

[BrightKnight]

74. Someone must know where the money is.

Someone must know where the money is. Nine billion dollars doesn't just disappear.

[Up2Late]

58. Here's the REUTERS Version= 8.8 Billion

U.S Did Not Safeguard $8.8 Bln of Iraq Money -Audit
Sun Jan 30, 2005 04:36 PM ET

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S.-led authority that governed Iraq after the 2003 invasion did not properly safeguard $8.8 billion of Iraq's own money and this lack of oversight opened up these funds to corruption, said a U.S. audit released on Sunday.

The U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction was scathing in criticism of how the Coalition Provisional Authority handled Iraqi money until it handed over power last June to Iraq's interim government.

"The CPA provided less-than-adequate controls for approximately $8.8 billion in DFI (Development Fund for Iraq) funds provided to Iraqi ministries through the national budget process," said the report, released on the same day Iraqis voted in elections.

"We believe the CPA management of Iraq's national budget process and oversight of Iraqi funds was burdened by severe inefficiencies and poor management," it said.

(more at link)<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7476653&src=rss/domesticNews>

[moobu2]

61. You can submit FOIA's here online

online form and instructions

http://www.cpa-ig.com/foia.html

also some legal info on SIGIR

The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
(formerly the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of the Inspector General)

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) is the successor to the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of Inspector General (CPA-IG). Under the law that created CPA-IG, the office was to terminate six months after the Coalition Provisional Authority’s dissolution, which occurred June 28, 2004. To maintain the oversight CPA-IG had established of Iraq Reconstruction programs and operations, which would otherwise expire, Congress amended the law that had created the office of the CPA-IG, re-designating it as the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
The amendment to Public Law 108-106 was part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for 2005 (P.L. 108-375). It was signed into law by the President on October 29, 2004.

Under this new mandate, Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., who served as the CPA Inspector General since January 20, 2004, continues as the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, without the need for reappointment. He reports to both the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State for supervision. He had previously reported to the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

As the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, he is charged with the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits and investigations relating to the programs and operations funded with amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF).

While the term of the CPA-IG was linked to the existence of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the oversight of the SIGIR is linked to the progress of the Iraq relief and reconstruction effort. SIGIR will terminate ten months after the date on which the 80% of the IRRF has been obligated.

The SIGIR is working closely with other agencies, Inspectors General, and non-governmental entities to ensure the reconstruction funds for Iraq are handled effectively. The prevention and detection of waste, fraud, and abuse are included in the duties and mission of SIGIR.

The SIGIR submits Quarterly Congressional Reports outlining the key findings and progress, as well as deficiencies and the corrective actions taken to improve reconstruction programs.

http://www.cpa-ig.com/index.html

[Up2Late]

62. How nice is that? Change the name...

...to confuse the less well informed.

"The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
(formerly the Coalition Provisional Authority Office of the Inspector General)"

NICE!:mad:

[jazzjunkysue]

67. Yeah, but Saddam killed 90 billion, and if we complain, the terrorists win

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

68. Occupation Authority Did Not Properly Monitor Spending of Iraqi Money,

U.S AUDIT SAYS (FEDS SAY IT NOW!) (Mods, new info on previous story, if I've mis-posted, sorry and please move it where it needs to be. Thanks)


By ERIK ECKHOLM

Published: January 31, 2005

The American occupation authority that governed Iraq until mid-2004 did not properly monitor the spending of $8.8 billion in Iraqi money, opening the door to possible corruption, the federal watchdog agency for Iraqi reconstruction said in a report released Sunday.

As it disbursed money to Iraqi ministries to pay salaries and finance development projects, the occupation authority, known as the Coalition Provisional Authority, failed to establish financial controls and transparency, said the report by the watchdog agency, the Special Inspector General for Iraqi Reconstruction. As a result, the report said, "there was no assurance that the funds were used for the purposes mandated."

In a written response included in the report, the former chief of the occupation authority, L. Paul Bremer III, strongly disputed its conclusions. He said the inspectors had seemed to assume that "Western-style budgeting and accounting procedures could be immediately and fully implemented in the midst of a war."

The report does not cite direct evidence of corruption with the Iraqi ministries but notes, among other examples, that one ministry received money to pay 8,206 guards while the presence of only 602 guards in that ministry could be verified.

STORY: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/31/politics/31audit.html

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

70. Thanks, oh invisible Mod in the sky!

:toast:

[moobu2]

73. Bet a million the info was available BEFORE the inauguration

But was held back for a more convenient time.

[Moderator]

75. Kick

[Up2Late]

108. Boy, What a boring screen name

a moderator with the name Moderator:boring:

This is suppose to be fun. Live a little:puffpiece:

[Conservativesux]

76. Audit: $9 Billion Unaccounted for in Iraq

Audit: $9 Billion Unaccounted for in Iraq

January 30, 2005 11:51 PM EST

WASHINGTON - The U.S. occupation authority in Iraq was unable to keep track of nearly $9 billion it transferred to government ministries, which lacked financial controls, security, communications and adequate staff, an inspector general has found.

The U.S. officials relied on Iraqi audit agencies to account for the funds but those offices were not even functioning when the funds were transferred between October 2003 and June 2004, according to an audit by a special U.S. inspector general.

The findings were released Sunday by Stuart Bowen Jr., special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. Bowen issued several reports on the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the U.S. occupation government that ruled Iraq from June 2003 to June 2004.

The official who led the CPA, L. Paul Bremer III, submitted a blistering, written reply to the findings, saying the report had "many misconceptions and inaccuracies," and lacked professional judgment.

More at:
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/gen?guid=20050130/41fc69d0_3ca6_1552620050130-549743810

[aikido15]

77. Nice..was this US tax payers $$?

[Seabiscuit]

86. It certainly wasn't Polish taxpayer $$. :)

[dutchdoctor]

89. It was revenue from the sale of Iraqi oil..

according to the http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/4216853.stm">BBC

[aikido15]

91. Yeah, like I'm gonna believe the BBC

Action alerts went out to them last week to stop promoting Bush's war plans for Iran! Sounded like Bush paid them also. I got a letter back from one of their top executives and the naivety and stupidity was astounding. He just didn't get it...but his associate did...and apologized, publicly.

[dutchdoctor]

97. Let's shoot the messenger!

If you don't believe the BBC, reuters and the NY Times are reporting the same thing (links elsewhere in this thread)..
It IS Iraqi money, not U.S. taxpayers'.
Quote from the BBC article:

"Many Iraqis are angry at the way the Coalition handled funds, particularly the money from their own oil, and especially where inexplicable amounts ended up in the hands of foreign businesses."

I guess they have reason to be angry: their country is being LOOTED by the likes of Halliburton!

[The_Casual_Observer]

78. "blistering, written reply to the findings"

Blister all you want, but where is the money paul, you asshole.

[Dr.Phool]

79. I'll betcha a lot of it is in RNC coffers.

[ElectroPrincess]

104. Arrest Bremer immediately, and for heaven's sake take away

his "Medal of Freedom."

Oh, that's right, powerful people get away with major crimes without even as much as a reprimand. Hell in BushWorld they either get a medal or promoted. :P

[Up2Late]

111. Re: Bremmers "Medal of Freedom"

:wtf:You think * is doing Sh*t like giving out Presidential Medals to these bums, just to piss off the Left, to make a mockery of the Office of the President, to make a mockery of Presidential Medals, or what?

Why is * doing stupid crap like this?:shrug:

[MinneapolisMatt]

80. I wish...

a couple million would be lost my way...:)

[tinrobot]

81. What would that buy?

600,000 new cars at $15,000 each.

90,000 new homes at $100,000 each.

Over a million kids could spend a year at a state college.

...the list goes on.

[aikido15]

82. Oh, that makes me so mad to think

of all the people that $$ could have helped. :mad:

[Up2Late]

112. This is based on $8.18 Billion Dollars

NOTE: I'm using Illinois, because it's part of the "Cost of War in Iraq" is the closest to $8.8 Billion at $8,189,000,000.00
link at <http://costofwar.com/>

396,981 Four year Collage Scholarships in Illinois

Could have hired 141,915 Public School teachers in Illinois for a year.

Paid for 1,084,630 children in Illinois "Head Start" Program

Could have paid for Heath Insurance for 4,903,573 Illinois children for 1 year

Could have built 73,734 low income housing units in Illinois

[EFerrari]

83. Released on a Sunday. What a surprise.

How many of Cheney's chums went out for a quick one on our dime?

Rome is burning.

[Seabiscuit]

84. Why am I not surprised. This administration hides everything.

[Conservativesux]

88. Yes, but only with the help of the right wing echo machine.

..with the all-star lineup of the likes of neo-CON talk show hosts like Hannity,Rush,Savage,O'LIElly, Scarbrough, ect, and all the little "fish" stations and motor mouths broadcasting thier lies and propaganda to the right-wing fundies.

Without thier help, the Republicans would be in real trouble right now, IMO.

[ugarte]

85. I love how 'conservatives' are tough on government waste

nt

[specedteacher]

87. And the lying republipukes have the gall to sling their crap at the UN?

After all that repukelican bushshit about the UN "mismanaging" money, it's great to see the lying republipukes with their hands in the cookie jar! How are they going to lie their way out of this one?

[DemBones DemBones]

90. ONLY $9 billion?

<sarcasm> off

[Skittles]

92. maybe that's what they are paying the whores with

nt

[leftchick]

93. Lets see ,who was running the show in Iraq then?

[wkirby]

98. my take . . .

From The Kirby File :

Word on the street is that some money is “missing” over there in Iraq. No, i’m not hinting that someone dropped a $20 bill on the street and some lucky schlep is going to find it . . . we’re talking much bigger. Stuart Bowen Jr., special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, puts the amount of unaccounted money around $9 Billion with a “B” dollars. For the feeble minded, that’s a 9, followed by another 9 zero’s, I think.

What I love about this is the way our “Who’s who?” of Iraq joy, no other than L. Paul Bremer himself, spins the situation complaning that, “the report “assumes that Western-style budgeting and accounting procedures could be immediately and fully implemented in the midst of a war.” Oh, so it’s our “western style” of accounting procedures that’s to blame? You see, I think that some of us were beginning to think that they had no idea what was going on over there! I guess that’s my “western style” of logic! Silly me!

-Will

[cthrumatrix]

102. when there is a bank robbery - does the bank blame it on 'accounting'

[woodsprite]

99. In our Snews-Journal, run by Gannett

the headline said $9 Million. Read further down in the article and it said $9 Billion. At the time I read it I was thinking - hmmmm, $9m considering the circumstances isn't that much. Thank goodness I read it on DU correctly! It drew my attention to it right away -- "Houston, we have a problem." There are some people that would say it was a typo, but considering it's Gannett, I think it was intentional. I'm writing a LTTE this morning asking for clarification ;)

Anybody else see something similar? I've noted it before at times and questioned it, but now I'm beginning to see a definite pattern.

[sattahipdeep]

100. Marsh to Pay $850 Mln in Bid-Rigging

A spokesman for Spitzer said Marsh apologized for what he termed its
"unlawful" and "shameful" conduct.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050131/us_nm/financial_marsh_dc&e=1&ncid=

Bremers Medal of Freedom....



A huge mountain of cow manure is seen smoldering at a feedlot near
Milford, Neb., Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005. The estimated 2,000-ton pile of
burning cow manure spontaneously combusted about two months ago
and continues to smolder despite attempts to douse it. (AP Photo/Nati
Harnik)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/050128/480/ah20101280551&e=8

[shawn703]

106. I get in trouble at home if I misplace a five dollar bill

And these people are going to get away with misplacing $9 billion.

[cthrumatrix]

107. Rummy got away with 2 Trillion earlier

[Blue_Tires]

109. halliburton's financial outlook is rosy these days n/t

[Megahurtz]

113. What a creative way to

launder all that money "clean"

[ElsewheresDaughter]

115. $9B would provide total health care for every child in the US & then some

[up2myassingators]

116. 9 BILLION BUCKS

THE BAD GUYS CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAVE NO BALLS. WHAT, ARE WE GONNA RUN EM OUT OF OFFICE? SHOOT EM? WE CAN'T EVEN VOTE THEM OUT NOW. THE GIG IS UP FOLKS. THE PEOPLE LOST AND THE BAD GUYS WON. GAME OVER. SAD PART IS THAT NOBODY EVEN REALIZES WE LOST.

[Moloch]

117. WHY ARE YOU YELLING?

n/t

[goodhue]

118. CPAs missing funds much worse a boondogle than UN food-for-oil

[katinmn]

121. Yes, but it will be a cold day in hell before Sen. Coleman

who chairs the "investigations" subcommittee asks any tough questions.

[Up2Late]

124. Oh they did the accounting

Just not accounting by "AMERICAN" Accounting Standards. That's according to one of our "Honorable" :puke:Repukelican Reps.

What he didn't say, is that the standards they did use, were from the Cayman Islands.:grr:

[sattahipdeep]

119. In other words, Bremer made the money

"disappear" and "there was no way to verify that
the money was used for its intended purposes
of financing humanitarian needs, economic
reconstruction, repair of facilities, disarmament
and civil administration," according to an AP report.

http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid=102&contentid=1848&page=2

Prior to being in Iraq, Bremer was Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Marsh Crisis Consulting Company, a crisis
management firm owned by the financial services firm Marsh &
McLennan. From 1989 to 2000, he was Managing Director of
Kissinger Associates, a strategic consulting firm headed by former
Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.

[katinmn]

120. Before Congress considers giving $80 billion more to the Iraq quagmire

shouldn't they demand an accounting for the $9 billion of Iraqi money that went missing?

Why hand over more money to be mishandled?

[katinmn]

122. Yay! Spoke too soon. Congressman Kucinich is leading the charge

in demanding full hearings and a criminal investigation.

http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0131-11.htm
Thanks goodness.

It's bad enough what we've done to the Iraqi civilians -- but to STEAL outright from them, too. It's shameful. That amount of money just doesn't "disappear."

[yellowcanine]

123. Can't we somehow blame Kofi Annan for this? They were corrupted by the

Oil for Food program? Well, ok then, how about Clinton's penis?

[goodhue]

125. kick

This story must not die.

[sagesnow]

126. Just another "unfortunate incident"

like this one

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/middle_east_shooting_in_tal_afar/html/3.stm

[paineinthearse]

128. Dennis Kucinich...

...appears to have been appointed as the Dem's point person. He gave a 1 minute speech at the House's opening today. Go Dennis!

[paineinthearse]

130. Hey *, where's the $9 billion?

[ClayZ]

129. Maybe it went in that "hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes"

Sam Stone
by John Prine


Sam Stone came home,
To the wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas.
And the time that he served,
Had shattered all his nerves,
And left a little shrapnel in his knees.
But the morhpine eased the pain,
And the grass grew round his brain,
And gave him all the confidence he lacked,
With a purple heart and a monkey on his back.

There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.

Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long.
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime
And soon he took to stealing
When he got that empty feeling
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime.
And the gold roared through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains,
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose,
While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes...

There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.

Sam Stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon,
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair.
Well, he played his last request,
While the room smelled just like death,
With an overdose hovering in the air.
But life had lost it's fun,
There was nothing to be done,
But trade his house that he bought on the GI bill,
For a flag-draped casket on a local hero's hill.

There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.

[goodhue]

131. Thursday kick