U.S. Troops, Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan Suspected of Corruption

[Judi Lynn]

Source: ABC News

U.S. Troops, Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan Suspected of Corruption
Officers Charged With Theft, Bribery in Oversees Reconstruction Projects
By AAMER MADHANI
June 20, 2010

The U.S. government, which is pressing Iraqi and Afghan leaders to get tough on internal corruption, is doing the same in its ranks.

Cases of suspected fraud and other wrongdoing by U.S. troops and contractors overseeing reconstruction and relief projects in Iraq and Afghanistan are up dramatically.

James Burch, the Defense Department's deputy inspector general for investigations, says his agency is investigating 223 cases -- 18 percent more than a year ago.

Investigators have charged an Army officer with pocketing cash meant to pay Iraqi civilian militiamen, contractors offering an Army officer $1 million for the inside track on a road project in Afghanistan, and three contractors for an alleged conspiracy to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fuel from a U.S. base in Baghdad.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-troops-charged-corruption-iraq-afghanistan/story?id=10952163

[DeSwiss]

1. K&R

Gives a whole other meaning to the phrase: "support the troops."




WAR
IS
A
RACKET

[elias49]

2. Oh those scamps! nt

[clixtox]

3. 223 active investigations is equivalent to a snowball...

on a glacier.

I have never heard any followup concerning the 9 billion dollars in hundred dollar bills that disappeared in the early, chaotic daze of the Iraqi invasion.

Have you?

The primary reason for government secrecy is to keep the citizens of the USA ignorant and quiescent in front of the boob tube.

We have few, if any, secret secrets from our supposed enemies, they know exactly what is occurring, and the how and why.

Only we, the people in whose names the deadly machinations and shenanigans are perpetrated, are kept ignorant.

In fact the making of ignorance is one of the most efficient processes extant in contemporary "American" society.

Usually referred to as "Agnotology", it is a major reason for the bamboozlement and confusion among the citizens of the USA.

Despite the dumbing down and constant exposure to baseless opinions, it isn't easy to mislead folks so egregiously.

To convince the sheeple to act and vote inimically to their best interests is not left to chance, it is cultivated, constant and consistent propaganda that does the trick.

Don't you think?

Check out this book of essays: http://www.amazon.com/Agnotology-Unmaking-Ignorance-Robert-Proctor/dp/0804759014/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277036176&sr=8-1

[elias49]

6. Looks like a must read. Thanks

Let me recommend Stuart Ewan's "PR: A Social History of Spin". Amazing stories about how the American public was sold WWI against their better judgment.
Lots of lies. I say out with State Dept cables that are reportedly in the hands of Wikileaks. I'm sick of being kept in the dark and on a short leash.

[Robb]

4. James B. Burch, brought to you by President Obama.

K&R.

Edited to add: just pointing it out.

[bemildred]

5. Why you could just knock me over with a feather.

Corruption in the defense business, when has that ever not been the case?

[aquart]

7. I'm shocked. Shocked.

Time to go home, kiddies.

[PSPS]

8. Inevitable with our corrupt political system.

[scentopine]

9. Ahahahah "suspected of corruption"...

no it can't be - this is the dream war for the centrists - this war is being outsourced to 100,000+ contractors! The purity of the market incentives guarantees corporations will work in the best interests of fairness, human rights and justice! And win!

Right? Hello?

[L0oniX]

10. Fighting for our freedom and democracy ...and defending the constitution...

pffft ...smell it