NYT: Non-stop Theft & Bribery Staggering Iraq

[Hawaii Hiker]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/world/middleeast/02baghdad.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

"One recent independent analysis ranked Iraq the third most corrupt country in the world. Of 180 countries surveyed, only Somalia and Myanmar were worse, according to Transparency International, a Berlin-based group that publishes the index annually.

And the extent of the theft is staggering. Some American officials estimate that as much as a third of what they spend on Iraqi contracts and grants ends up unaccounted for or stolen, with a portion going to Shiite or Sunni militias. In addition, Iraq’s top anticorruption official estimated this fall — before resigning and fleeing the country after 31 of his agency’s employees were killed over a three-year period — that $18 billion in Iraqi government money had been lost to various stealing schemes since 2004"...


Other than that, things are just great in Iraq...:sarcasm:

[pansypoo53219]

1. georgie bought a money pit.

but we pay.

[sss1977]

2. 1/3?

So let me get this straight. Of the $1.2 trillion we've spent in Iraq, up to $400 billion has gone to the Sunni and Shiite militias? That's genius. The best way to create a neverending war, is to actually fund all sides. Way to go Congress! Good thing we got Pelosi in there to cut those purse strings and lay impeachment smack down on the table...