Home > Explain to me how you lose 9 billion dollars?

Explain to me how you lose 9 billion dollars?

by Open-Publishing - Monday 7 March 2005
2 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts Economy-budget International USA

Hello campers,

We’ve all overdrawn our checking account and there are times when we can’t account for a few dollars here or there. It’s no surprise to anyone that we seem to be shelling out more and more money each year for more or less the same things. But explain to me how you lose 9 billion dollars! That’s right I said billion, with a B! The U.S. occupation authority in Iraq was unable to keep track of nearly $9 billion it transferred to government ministries. These ministries lacked financial controls, security, communications or adequate staff. No one is really sure who got what or how much. 9 billion dollars people! Auditors learned that we paid 8,206 guards at one ministry, but only 602 could be accounted for. At another ministry U.S. officials found 1,417 guards on the payroll, but could only confirm 642, and that’ just two examples. Supposedly millions were also paid out in bribes to Iraqi officials. Bribery, corruption, graft, greed, incompetence Yes we are teaching the Iraqis about the American way of life or at least the way we do business.

What they should have done was put the IRS in charge of this operation. Anyone who has ever owed the IRS knows when it comes to money they know exactly how much you owe them. They know exactly how much you have, and exactly where it is. They know how to scare you into paying them and if you don’t pay them they know how they can get it themselves, down to the last dime. They don’t care how long it takes. They are relentless. They never sleep. They never eat. They just collect money.

Forget Suni rebels and Air strikes they can be stopped. Nothing known to man can stop an IRS agent. If Osama Bin Laden owed the IRS money they would have found him by the end of 2001 and gotten every dime plus penalties. Leave it to the experts. I’m Randi Rhodes and I approve this message.

http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/r...


Much discussion has gone on recently about internet bloggers vs. ’real’ news. It is emerging that bloggers are the only ones discussing the ’real’ news. While the mainstream media claims credibility, going on about Michael Jackson, covering for previous lies while preparing us for another war based on lies, covering up US war crimes...they have shown themselves to be anything but credible. Would Bill Clinton have gotten away with losing track of 9 billion? I think he might have been accused of lying and war profiteering by the ’real’ news.

Bloggers are taking back the truth.

from discussion at Randi Rhodes
http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/r...

— "I just wanted to mention that the government and those who do business with the government do not adhere to western accounting practices, (which I assume they mean to be GAAP) because they must adhere to the government accounting rules and procedures.

Although that may seem to be a minor point, it is worth noting that the government is very strict about how they are billed, including supporting documents, (bills to the government may be volumes), what they will pay for and under what contract and work orders items will be accepted and approved. Also, they are extraordinarily slow to pay. In other words, they are a complete pain in the ass to deal with. People do business with the government for only one reason - large profits.

At the same time, government contractors are notorious for committing fraud. In a war zone, inherent with chaos and lack of communication, organization and scrupples, there will naturally be opportunities to further exploit the U.S. government. However, to blame this on the lack of western accounting practices is ludicrous. That would imply that there are no separation of duties, no control over or security of assets, (including cash), no checks and balances and no internal controls. In other words, it would imply that there is no accounting system at all.

Am I missing something here?"

— "Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., was appointed as the CPA-IG on January 20, 2004, and proceeded to establish a staff of auditors and investigators and support in offices in both Baghdad and Washington.

However, the decision of the nations of the Coalition to return power to the Iraqis by June 28, 2004 triggered a provision of the law that called for the CPA-IG to terminate six months after the authorities of the CPA cease to exist. Disestablishment of the new CPA-IG on December 28, 2004.

Congress acted to maintain the oversight, creating a successor to CPA-IG through Public Law 108-375. This amended P.L. 108-106 to re-designate the CPA-IG as Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), and modified its authorities to provide for independent and objective oversight of the operations and programs under the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF). Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., continues to serve as the SIGIR with auditors, investigators and staff operating in Iraq and Washington, D.C.

The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction reports directly to both the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense. This dual-reporting arrangement recognizes the joint responsibilities of these two cabinet departments for Iraq reconstruction. In addition, the SIGIR provides reports directly to the Congress.

Ok, we got that so far. . . Now
Congress created the CPA-IG to conduct audits, monitor expenditures and... prevent and detect fraud and abuse in such programs and operations. By law (108-375) The SIGIR has to report each quarter to Congress, reports due 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. Therefore, reports are submitted at the end of January, April, July and October. the quarterly and semiannual reports, as well as audit reports, are posted on the *SIGIR Website under SIGIR Reports.

One other thing about 108-375 and the SIGIR that is significant...
The law creating SIGIR, and the amendment to P.L. 108-106 provided more specific authority in this area than the original law. The SIGIR has the authority to conduct CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

OK, let’s move on. . . now pay attention, this is the important stuff.

The U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy Baghdad assumed oversight of relief and reconstruction activities in Iraq at the time of the dissolution of the CPA. The State Department’s Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO) has broad responsibility for identifying requirements and priorities. The Defense Department/Army Project and Contracting Office (PCO) is responsible for contracting and project management aspects of Iraq Relief and Reconstruction.

Let’s name names!
L. Paul Bremer ran the CPA, until authority was given to the Iraqis.
Colin Powell, Secretary of State
William Joseph Burns, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
John Negroponte, Ambassador-U.S. Embassy Baghdad
Charles M. Hess, Director IRMO
Major General Daniel E. Long, Jr., Dep. Director IRMO
Condi Rice, in charge of reconstruction
Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense

Right. . .
Stuart W. Bowen, Jr and his staff have authority to conduct criminal investigations. The law says nobody can restrict, prohibit or interfere with the SIGIR. The SIGIR is Iraq’s version of the IRS. Bowen has reported $9 Billion dollars missing. Bowen has police powers.

From the list above, who are the ones most likely not sleeping well. I think I noticed Bremer had some bags under his eyes....who else? The administration has to hurry up getting their Judges on the Bench. This won’t go good for them, when the subpeonas start getting handed out."

Here’s the links
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/m...
http://www.cpa-ig.com/news.html
http://www.cpa-ig.com/reports_congr...

Bloggers are already doing the research, where are the ’real’ reporters? Why is there a media blackout on this story?

Forum posts

  • I never thought I’d say this in my life, what a sad, sad state of affairs. Keep up the good job bloggers. The corporate press isn’t going to touch anything unless you have all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed, than they’ll have no choice.

    BTW, Clinton has done a lot most Americans aren’t aware of (You lose credibility when you sight the perceived differance, remember it’s all an illussion). The press is loyal to who butters their bread, and that’s not the public. I know much news that never made it to the US when I lived out of the country in the 90s.

  • "Stuart W. Bowen, Jr and his staff have authority to conduct criminal investigations. The law says nobody can restrict, prohibit or interfere with the SIGIR. The SIGIR is Iraq’s version of the IRS. Bowen has reported $9 Billion dollars missing. Bowen has police powers."

    Does Congress need to request Bowen investigate further, or is he on his own. How do we get this investigation started.... by writing Republican Congressman? that seems hopeless, is there another way?