GAO investigator rips Pentagon on Iraq war finances

[BeyondThePale]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/07/15/gao_investigator_rips_pentagon_on_iraq_war_finances/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News


WASHINGTON -- The federal government's chief investigator yesterday blasted the Pentagon for its ''atrocious financial management," saying the Defense Department was not able to give federal oversight officials a full accounting of the $1 billion being spent each week on the war in Iraq.

The GAO has been examining the Pentagon's Iraq expenses, and ''we're having extreme difficulty in getting the Department of Defense to provide a full accounting of what they're spending" there, Walker said. ''I can't understand how we're spending $1 billion a week."

<snip>

[truthisfreedom]

1. we aren't spending 1 billion a week there. it's being harvested by the

same assclowns who got bushco into office.

[UpInArms]

2. I'm shocked! Shocked! I tell you!

[Supersedeas]

15. Ya...but should you be...it's only middle class taxpayer money

[acmavm]

3. Every time I see a story like this all I can think is THE AMERICAN

PUBLIC IS SOOOOOOOOO FRIGGING STUPID.

And republicans are so damn corrupt.

[maddezmom]

4. 1 billion a week in Iraq, but we have no money to upgrade our transit sys

:argh:

[Terran]

17. or to help homeless people

The fed gov't budgets a paltry few hundreds of millions per *year* to, as they say, "end homelessness". If we spent a billion per week on that for a year, we might actually do it.

[classysassy]

13. The crooks

its not just the repugs corrupt practices,the dems allow the thugs to get away with their thievery.

[Nevernose]

16. And the ones who aren't stupid are just plain ignorant

I'd like to say that most of the ignorant ones are just too lazy and/or apathetic to pay attention, but the MSM mostly just covers missing white women, not missing taxpayer dollars.

Maybe if there were pictures of tits on the money instead of pictures of old dead guys, people and the media would pay more attention.

[wli]

5. Who wants to be a trillionaire?

We've got a war in Afghanistan, too, not to mention poppies. Adds up quick, doesn't it?

[Frederik]

6. I wonder into whose pockets that money finds its way?

[leftchick]

7. I think it is pretty obvious where the money is going

KBR, Halliburton, Blackwater, Zapata etc....

[WhiteTara]

8. check cheney's bank account

I'll bet you'll find a large sum that has accumulated since March of 2003.

[kestrel91316]

9. Look out "chief investigator" .................

and tell your wife to watch her back!

[lovuian]

10. Its being stolen over and over again and our government

officials are letting them do it!!!

NOW GAO your figuring it out!!!

Accounting is not hard!!! Stealing is easy here!!!

[WhiteTara]

18. the operative word is Helping

they are helping them do it for their own gain. Look in the meaner's bank account. I am sure it has grown so large that we would be stunned.

[dooner]

11. Pentagon can't account for $1 Billion spent every week in Iraq!!!

Sorry this news didn't get voted up earlier..

[wallwriter]

12. This guy must hate America and love Terr!!

:sarcasm:

[liberalcenter]

14. How many weeks in Iraq would fix SS?

nt

[magellan]

22. Now you're just being logical.

Good on ya, and welcome. :)

[Algorem]

19. Pentagon scum.

[goforit]

20. Those poooor military men...don't see a tyrranny when there is one.

They want Bush....they got what they want.

[Theduckno2]

21. Tomorrow's Repug 'talking points'?

1. The GAO is full liberal elites that want to cut and run.

2. War is hard work, war is messy and freedom isn't free.

3. Support our troops! Which, as evidenced by the low morale, may not be where the money is going.

Can somebody help me here? In "Catch 22" what was the name of the enterprising fella? Milo Mindbender??? Seems like he is back in action.

[IndianaGreen]

23. Why don't you ask Dov Zakheim, the former Pentagon Comptroller?

Zakheim was the top money man in the Pentagon. A PNAC neocon, he left his post last year without much fanfare. He is the one that established the process by which we were sending crates of US cash to Iraq for the reconstruction, and unofficially to bribe influential Iraqis.

While you are at it, why don't you ask DODIG what became of their investigation of the way money earmarked for the reconstruction of Afghanistan found their way to pay for the build-up to the invasion of Iraq, without Congressional approval!

As Pentagon Comptroller, Dov Zakheim worked directly under Paul Wolfowitz, the current head of the World Bank.

[silvershadow]

24. 1 billion a week, but we have to worry about social security

being cut? Outrageous.

[magellan]

25. Well, we know a few things

The $1 Billion/week isn't going to reconstruction (unless you count the Green Zone Republic), and it sure as heck isn't going to provide our troops with a standard good quality of food, adequate accommodations, or the proper equipment across the board. So, hm, what's left Mr. GAO?

[jazzjunkysue]

26. GAO: "If this were a company, they'd be out of business."

Tax and steal republicans.

Remember, libruls will waste your money.

[ChrisK]

27. It's like a two-fold slap

Slap to one cheek "We can't say where all the money is going each week"

Turn and slap the other side "We need more money"

Get-rich-quick has taken on a whole new meaning for me :)