Lost Iraq Billions Uncovered; US Gag Order Prevents Investigation

[jpeyton]

A noble effort by the BBC. In my opinion, just like the official Iraqi civilian death tolls, this number probably falls significantly short of the actual true number, but at least it's a starting point.

:music::music: Go on take the money and run :music::music:

What will happen to the gag orders once Bush leaves office? If McCain is elected, I can guarantee you there's 100 more years of war profiteering and gag orders on the horizon.

Text

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.

For the first time, the extent to which some private contractors have profited from the conflict and rebuilding has been researched by the BBC's Panorama using US and Iraqi government sources.

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 George 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 Democrat 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, its egregious.

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

In the run-up to the invasion one of the most senior officials in charge of procurement in the Pentagon objected to a contract potentially worth seven billion that was given to Halliburton, a Texan company, which used to be run by Dick Cheney before he became vice-president.

Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won.

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 $1.2 billion 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.

"They failed to rebuild the Ministry of Defence , and as a result the violence and the bloodshed went on and on - the murder of Iraqis and foreigners continues and they bear responsibility."

Mr Shalaan was sentenced to two jail terms but he fled the country.

He said he was innocent and that it was all a plot against him by pro-Iranian MPs in the government.

There is an Interpol arrest out for him but he is on the run - using a private jet to move around the globe.

He stills owns commercial properties in the Marble Arch area of London.

 

[nakedfrog]

Haven't these reports been coming out every year ever since "Mission Accomplished"?

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Haven't these reports been coming out every year ever since "Mission Accomplished"?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Truth be told, these reports have been coming out even before mission accomplished. And a mere 23 billion sounds like a gross underestimate.

Sooner or later the truth will come out, some criminal charges will probably result, but most of that money will join most of the other money we still pour down a rat hole.

 

[Fern]

Thieving bastards.

On the bright side looks like at least 70 have been discovered and are being prosecuted.

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

Fern

 

[OrByte]

when these cases are resolved will the gag order be removed?

I dont understand enough of the issue.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

:music::music: Go on take the money and run :music::music:

At the risk of incurring hissy fits from the ass licking neocon sycophants, the third verse of my song says:

I see men who are trying to squeeze us,
And taking whatever they can,
While they buy those who try to appease us with scraps from their table.

It gets harder each day to break even.
This wasn't a part of my plan.
Time is right to be fighting or leaving this tower of Babel.

And Who's Watching Over Who's Watching Over You?
Tell me who's telling who's telling you what to do what to do?

If you don't like what the lyrics of my song say, hold the Traitor In Chief and his cabal of traitors, murderer, torturers, war criminals and war profiteers accountable for their crimes. :|

I don't care if you don't like my singing or playing. We'd all be better off if the facts that inspired it had never been allowed to happen. 🙁

 

[LTC8K6]

Gag orders do not affect prosecutions.

Gag orders rarely stop journalists, so why is the BBC suddenly abiding by one?

 

[LTC8K6]

Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won.

That's wrong isn't it? The system was set up differently and there weren't any bids, IIRC. Halliburton was on call to do the work in a rotation of companies, weren't they? There was no need for bids and this was normal procedure for work that had to be done immediately.

 

[Craig234]

This reminds me of the way the administration is abusing its power of classification to hide the facts of its torture programs, under the excuse that it's not to protect them from the public, but rather to not let terrorists get information to help them learn to counter the techniques. Anyone familiar with the techniques knows what BS that is.

It's not as if the techniques are unknown to the terrorists, and it's not as if you can do anything to 'counter' a lot of them. The only people the information is being hidden from is the American people, for political protection.

 

[Lemon law]

Originally posted by: Fern
Thieving bastards.

On the bright side looks like at least 70 have been discovered and are being prosecuted.

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

Fern

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to think that maybe Fern has a point here. But this criminality has been known for like five years now and I have yet to see our justice system drag a single one of these companies into a court of law.

With GWB&co its not justice delayed is justice denied, its justice gets deferred until all the defendants and witnesses die of old age or the statute of limitations expire. And I would not be surprised if GWB pardons the lot before he slinks out of office.

 

[jpeyton]

It will be interesting to see what pardons Bush will issue at the 11th hour, especially since he insists no war crimes or fraud has been committed.

Honest prosecution of this will not go forward until a Democratic president appoints an Attorney General who won't perjure himself before the nation to save his boss.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
-snip-
I have yet to see our justice system drag a single one of these companies into a court of law.

???

70 companies have been "dragged" into court if the article is to be believed.

To me it seems the investigation of 70 companies has been completed, the Grand Jury (if required) has ruled and charges filed by the DoJ. The only thing apparently remaining is the actual trial.

Until we know when the charges were filed, it'll be hard to say if anyone is dragging their feet. But the DoJ (under GWB) has already done their part (by investigating and filing). AFAIK, only a judge can approve a delay or extension of the court date.

Fern

 

[Thump553]

I don't know if this is the same thing you are talking about, but NPR had a fascinating segment today about war profiteering and BAE Systems funneling bribes to members of the Saudi royal family. England was investigating it but the investigation was shut down when representatives of the Saudi government went to the British government and told them shut it down:

The Saudi threat to call off intelligence cooperation was taken very seriously. As the former director of Britain's Serious Fraud Office testified, the Saudi ambassador to the U.K. put it to him this way: "British lives on British streets were at risk."

Supposedly the US is investigating this situation as well, but I frankly have little faith the Bush administration would prosecute crimes involving the Saudi royal family.

Here's a link to the full NPR story. Well worth the read.

 

[Lemon law]

Fern is being a little blase in not noting how ridiculous the following sounds------The only thing apparently remaining is the actual trial.

After five damn years the GWB justice department can't manage the only thing that matters, namely the actual trial. Not in one case out of a cherry picked only 70.

Please don't be absurd Fern. Get a clue, they are just pretending to go through the motions because its too well known not to.

 

[Jhhnn]

They have no intention of ever taking it to trial, LL. Steal $B, pay a few $M in fines, make the right political contributions, and it's all good.

Not to mention that a fair % of the missing money has probably gone to fund various black ops by the Pentagon and other govt agencies...

 

[Atreus21]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6

Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won.

That's wrong isn't it? The system was set up differently and there weren't any bids, IIRC. Halliburton was on call to do the work in a rotation of companies, weren't they? There was no need for bids and this was normal procedure for work that had to be done immediately.

Excuse me. Would you mind not disturbing the drum-circle?

 

[DealMonkey]

Outsourcing to contractors is supposed to SAVE money, not cause vast sums to be LOST and complete UNACCOUNTED for!

Outsourcing: You're doing it wrong!

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Fern is being a little blase in not noting how ridiculous the following sounds------The only thing apparently remaining is the actual trial.

After five damn years the GWB justice department can't manage the only thing that matters, namely the actual trial. Not in one case out of a cherry picked only 70.

Please don't be absurd Fern. Get a clue, they are just pretending to go through the motions because its too well known not to.

The one who needs a clue here is you. As I've pointed out the DoJ (under the GWB admin/Exec branch) looks to have done their part.

The actual trial itself is the domain of the court system - the Judicial branch. The scheduling of cases is handled/approved by the judge assigned to the case.

Exec branch != Judicial branch.

Fern

 

[Genx87]

Hey was Saddams regime still doing under the table deals? 😀

I kid

Anyways anybody who war profiteers needs to have the book tossed at them. Didnt FDR enact legislation that made it a criminal offense to war profiteer during WWII? Need to bring it back imo.

 

[MrMajestyk]

I had the priveledge of watching the programme this week. It left me numb. The scale of the ineptitude and blundering is beyond comprehension.

How the likes of Cheney & Co still have their liberty is a mystery.

It seems to me its a vicious circle: war>>>contracts>>>>election contributions>>>>get re-elected>>>more war.

War it seems is VERY good for business.

Here it is in all its glory.

http://remotedevice.blogspot.c...ned-to-23-billion.html

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
It will be interesting to see what pardons Bush will issue at the 11th hour, especially since he insists no war crimes or fraud has been committed.

Honest prosecution of this will not go forward until a Democratic president appoints an Attorney General who won't perjure himself before the nation to save his boss.

Haha, you think the Democrats are any better. They just want the billions to fund domestic policies so that other companies can rake in the money.

 

[ayabe]

I was under the assumption that war profiteering was legally considered treason. However, it appears that Harry Truman just referred to it as treason, rather than actually passing a law.