$4,000,000,000 gone missing in Iraq reconstruction.

[JohnyCanuck]

A staggering US$4 billion in oil revenues and other Iraqi funds earmarked for the reconstruction of the country has disappeared into opaque bank accounts administered by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the US-controlled body that rules Iraq. By the end of the year, if nothing changes in the way this cash is accounted for, that figure will double.

The financial black hole, uncovered by a Christian Aid investigation, is revealed as delegates gather for the donors' conference in Madrid. Before pledging money from their own countries' coffers to boost the reconstruction efforts, as requested by the US and UK governments, these delegates should first demand: 'What has happened to the missing billions?'

It is expected that a separate fund, managed by the UN and the World Bank, will be announced at the conference for donors' money, to allay fears of how this cash will be spent. But this should not stop donors from pushing for accountability of the original, massive reconstruction fund - most of it Iraqi oil money.

In particular the British government, which has promised financial transparency in dealings with Iraqi oil funds, should use its influence to ensure that the missing money is accounted for. Christian Aid is calling on Prime Minister Tony Blair to deliver on his promises.

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/news/media/pressrel/031023p.htm

[robertarctor]

1. Ha ha! Ahmed Chalabi strikes again.

I wonder how much gets kicked back to Cheney?

[Cat Atomic]

2. Iran/Contra 2004? It's the same crew, after all.

Who knows where these crooks are funneling cash.

[allalone]

3. donors' conference in Madrid.

Could this be reason for train bombings?

[AlFrankenFan]

4. Oy vey i smell foul play.....

n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

5. Chalabi does have a banking background...

Ahmad Chalabi was convicted in Jordan of embezzling millions from a bank in the late 1980s.

[leesa]

14. Well, look at the Bush Crime Family. Need to finance the overthrow of the

world, ya know. Remember the trillions "lost" by the DOD prior to 9-11?
What do you think this whole 'terrorism' sham is about if not to loot all the money? They are simply stealing all the money, both public and private. Billionaires incomes up 37%...they are stealing all the wealth of the world and we will be their slaves.

[tridim]

6. The hits just keep on coming

with this crowd. No question, these folks are the worst white-collar criminals in American history. I want this to end now, not in November.

[boobooday]

7. That giant sucking sound

That's our money, being sucked straight through Iraq and into the pockets of these warmongering fascists.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[Mari333]

8. send this to every blogger and newsperson out there

I just sent it to atrios
send it..this needs to get legs
(Im so tired of doing the work that the so called journalists are supposed to be doing)

[4dsc]

18. Send this to your congressperson and Senator!!

EOM!!

[Andy_Stephenson]

9. Is anyone really

suprised by this.

[Nashyra]

10. Kick

[mazzarro]

11. Is this not old news that got passed over?

eom

[Thrill]

12. Check Bush's bank account

or the trunk of Jeb's car thats where 2000 Gore Votes are.

[Andy_Stephenson]

15. Actually...it was -16022 votes...

but they turned up later after everyone was told to empty their wallets.

[4dsc]

19. Storu is from Nov 03!!

Check out the date 23.10.03 ..

[Demonaut]

13. you let thieves run the country, installed by thieves

somethings gonna disappear

[truthspeaker]

16. but don't call Bush crooked!

That's mean-spirited and negative.

[Avis]

17. zeros

The media should start printing out the real number with all the zeros (like you did) and it would hit home how much this is. Saying 4 billion seems meaningless, seeing it put this way is frightening.