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New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Billions

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 12:28:22 PM EST
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College student Alex Koppelman, writing for the Daily Pennsylvanian does some digging and reports:

In November of 2003, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan explained the administration's decision to fight against monetary compensation for these soldiers, tortured while serving the United States, saying, "These resources are required for the urgent national security needs of rebuilding Iraq."

But, I have learned over the course of the past week, billions more dollars might be available had the Bush administration not decided to essentially legalize fraud during the rebuilding of Iraq. Through executive orders signed by President Bush, as well as orders released by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S.-led former government of Iraq and decisions by the Department of Justice, it has become all but impossible for contractors who did not fulfill their contracts or even committed outright fraud during the rebuilding of Iraq to be held accountable. This story has yet to be fully reported by any other news outlet.

Great job, Alex.

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    New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Billions | 19 comments (19 topical)
    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 12:42:17 PM EST
    and the bushCo travesties' goes on, and the lies' go on.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 12:56:19 PM EST
    While I abhor the Bush administrations handling of this case, I must take the writer to task for posing opinion as a story. billions more dollars might be available Then again, they might not be. essentially legalize fraud Is it fraud or isn't it. As in: She is essentially pregnant. Journalists are supposed to report and not offer legal opinions. it has become all but impossible for contractors Again, is it possible or is it impossible. Does he have sources to back this up? This story has yet to be fully reported by any other news outlet. What story? Yes your honor. I think this might be the man who may or may not have committed an essentially legalized crime.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#3)
    by Adept Havelock on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:00:57 PM EST
    OK BocaJeff. If you feel that 8 billion in unaccounted funds is no story, I pity you, and anyone so blinded by their ideology.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#4)
    by roy on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:09:59 PM EST
    I'll concede that Bush's behavior is crappy, but the writer is inventing connections where there are none. The tortured soldiers were awarded money from frozen Iraqi assets. That money had nothing to do with the corporate "fraud", which was paid for through the U.S.-funded Developing Fund for Iraq. Both were shielded by EO 13303, but the soldiers' lawsuit winnings and the corporate "fraud" came from two distinct money piles. (That said, it's pretty good work for a student)

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:22:46 PM EST
    ...saying, "These resources are required for the urgent national security needs of rebuilding Iraq."
    seems like bushCo made the two distinct money piles one. logically following any monies earmarked for rebuilding would fall under the auspice of the CPA.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 01:37:50 PM EST
    To add to TL's synopsis,from the same story:
    Grayson testified on Monday that he was told by an assistant U.S. attorney that "the Bush administration had decided, as a matter of policy, that cheating the Coalition Provisional Authority was not the same as cheating the United States." This essentially exempts contractors from U.S. fraud laws, and, coupled with the CPA's Order 17, which provided contractors immunity from Iraqi law, means that no one is empowered to take action.
    To answer your questions, Jeff who is making me dislike Boca (unless you're talking about the veggie burgers which I already dislike).
    She is essentially pregnant
    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#7)
    by john horse on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 02:33:05 PM EST
    According to the BBC, the CPA: "massively inflat(ed) its profits by setting up sham companies to send fake invoices" "demanded dubious commissions which then came out of Iraqi funds" " openly demanded bribes of up to $300,000 in cash" There is more about fraud here. What a deal for these contractors. They could defraud our government and the Iraqis out of billions and noone can touch them. By the way this special immunity granted to contractors operating in war zones is why none of the contractors who were in Abu Ghraib have ever been charged.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#8)
    by john horse on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 02:40:27 PM EST
    Regarding the POW case, I cannot understand why the Bush administration is doing everything it can to fight these former POWs. For background, here is what these POWS (from the first Gulf War) suffered while they were in in Iraqi prisons (some ironically enough in Abu Ghraib). "Saddam Hussein's secret services broke bones, shattered skulls, whipped, burned, shocked, beat, and urinated on American prisoners. One was so battered, it was later reported that his body looked like it had been dipped in indigo ink. Another had his teeth broken through electric shock. Many suffered through their own faked executions. They were starved so severely that one was forced to eat the scabs off his body." As far as I'm concerned, if anyone deserves compensation, it is these POWs. To have the Bush administration trying to deny them compensation is to add insult to injury. This is a matter of justice. These people have suffered enough. Regarding the legalities of this case. According to Article 131 of the Geneva Conventions, no nation "'may absolve' a torturing state of 'any liability' for their torture." This is another example of our government attempting to weaken the Geneva Conventions. Also, according to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1996, US courts are authorized to award "money damages … against a foreign state for personal injury or death that was caused by an act of torture, extrajudicial killing, aircraft sabotage [or] hostage taking." The purpose of this act was to hold these governments accountable and to deter the abuse of POWs in any future wars. I find the hypocrisy of the Bush administration truly alarming. According to Bush Press Scretary Scott McClellan in 2003 "No amount of money can truly compensate these brave men and women for the suffering that they went through at the hands of this very brutal regime and at the hands of Saddam Hussein." Little did the POWs know that when McClellan said "no amount of money" that is exactly what the Bush administration is now offering. (by the way, I had made many of these comments in a previous post)

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#9)
    by soccerdad on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 02:53:14 PM EST
    But at least Bush is consistent, he doesn't want ordinary citizens to be compensated appropiately when harmed by company malfeasance.Would hurt profits. Little people are just so much fodder for the military-industrial and corporate complexes.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 03:55:51 PM EST
    ask Bush and business where it is and you will understand, what this world is. Bush is the word Fraud and murder and crime and drugs and the basic enemy of all people, but not bin laden and business, hey where is bin laden bush? lies, murder, terrorists, al qaeda funding guy, lobby guy for mexico and the guy who will do the final solution on us all. "My Boy Bush." OH YES! China loving rat, did i miss anything? worse Mexican that has American office

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 04:30:18 PM EST
    They'll get their money. We'll "pump" it out of Iraq eventually, don't worry!

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#12)
    by Walter on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 04:56:30 PM EST
    Neocon, Good point, better to make American consumers pay for this war than asking American taxpayers to pay for it Ahmed Chalabi..still a spy for Iran and possible the next prime minister of Iraq Perle....still betraying the United States by spying for a foriegn country

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#13)
    by Adept Havelock on Thu Feb 17, 2005 at 07:46:45 PM EST
    If that's the best troll material you've got Doc, why bother? No troll cookie for you tonight.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 06:01:05 AM EST
    Whooosh! Right over your head, AH.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 06:02:11 AM EST
    This "accountable to no one" policy looks like another big favor to big business. Taxpayers be damned! A license to steal.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 07:11:14 AM EST
    Bush bought for you all with a crappy little $400 refund check. Now him and his friends get to divvy up the real money.

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 09:01:00 AM EST
    John Horse... "Saddam Hussein's secret services broke bones, shattered skulls, whipped, burned, shocked, beat, and urinated on American prisoners. Yes...and where were all the bleeding heart libs when that was going on???????? No outcry over that!

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 10:08:42 AM EST
    BB...give us a break. If Bush had said we were going to war for humanitarian reasons, we could have had an honest debate about whether that was a good idea. But it was about WMD and the threat of an attack on the US. You are getting confused between the pre-war reasoning and the post-lie reasoning

    Re: New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Bi (none / 0) (#19)
    by john horse on Fri Feb 18, 2005 at 04:40:16 PM EST
    BB, I've been supporting the POWs case ever since I heard about it. I still support their case. Do you? Far easier to attack those who support the POWs then to defend the Bush administration, isn't it? Get back to the topic. Do you stand with the POWs or with Bush on this?

    New Information Emerges About Missing Iraq Billions | 19 comments (19 topical)