Lost Army Job Tied to Doubts on Contractor

[RamboLiberal]

Source: NY Times

The Army official who managed the Pentagon’s largest contract in Iraq says he was ousted from his job when he refused to approve paying more than $1 billion in questionable charges to KBR, the Houston-based company that has provided food, housing and other services to American troops.

The official, Charles M. Smith, was the senior civilian overseeing the multibillion-dollar contract with KBR during the first two years of the war. Speaking out for the first time, Mr. Smith said that he was forced from his job in 2004 after informing KBR officials that the Army would impose escalating financial penalties if they failed to improve their chaotic Iraqi operations.

Army auditors had determined that KBR lacked credible data or records for more than $1 billion in spending, so Mr. Smith refused to sign off on the payments to the company. “They had a gigantic amount of costs they couldn’t justify,” he said in an interview. “Ultimately, the money that was going to KBR was money being taken away from the troops, and I wasn’t going to do that.”

But he was suddenly replaced, he said, and his successors — after taking the unusual step of hiring an outside contractor to consider KBR’s claims — approved most of the payments he had tried to block.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/washington/17contractor.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[lonestarnot]

1. Good witness, issue a subpoena!

[Enthusiast]

7. You forget!

KBR has executive privilege.

[magellan]

2. Another one who waited to speak out until it was personally convenient

So few choose to do the right thing when it counts, just to make it easier for themselves. It's no wonder BushCo has gotten away with so much for so long.

[Trajan]

3. Did he withold this long ?

Or was he simply unable to find an outlet ?

I think the jury is still out ... In the meantime: I intend to give his claims their due consideration, and distribute this information ....

[magellan]

5. Four years

"Speaking out for the first time, Mr. Smith said that he was forced from his job in 2004 after informing KBR officials that the Army would impose escalating financial penalties if they failed to improve their chaotic Iraqi operations."

It also says he waited until he retired to say anything. Great for him, he'll draw a pension for keeping his mouth shut about how the government was bilking taxpayers out of billions.

[bean fidhleir]

8. He has to live on his pension. Why should he sacrifice himself when we do *nothing* to support

ethical whistleblowers? They get hung out to dry and we do nothing.

[magellan]

10. So people shouldn't do what's right because it's hard and will cost them?

Those who choose to act bravely are OFTEN alone and penalized for it. That's the price of conscience.

Who were your heroes? Did they all wait till it was safe for them to do what was necessary?

[bean fidhleir]

12. Easy for you to say, isn't it.

Is anything more enjoyable than the warm glow of moral superiority from telling someone else what sacrifices they should make to meet your standards?

[magellan]

13. Thank you for answering my questions

...with a straw man. It's very telling. It confirms what's wrong with this country: the people.

Apparently it's become normal to praise someone who steps up to the plate only when it's safe to do so. And anyone who expresses less than prostrate worship of such individuals "expects too much."

I don't presume to tell others what sacrifices they should make. But like everyone else I reserve the right to judge someone based on what they do when faced with a moral dilemma. Do they protect themselves or race into the burning house?

Few heroes in government today. But there are plenty of enablers willing to let the place go up in flames while they get their stuff out.

[bean fidhleir]

15. There's nothing straw about my response. It's unwholesome of you to expect a stranger to

sacrifice their personal wellbeing for your benefit - which is exactly what you're expecting in this case!

YES it would be good if people blew the whistle.

But exactly how much should they be expected to sacrifice to get your approval? Their job? The wellbeing of their kids? Their pension? Their lives, maybe? The lives of their family?

And how little should trigger that sacrificial action on their part, to satisfy you? Should they sacrifice themselves to expose an overly-cozy relationship? A small, improperly-awarded contract? A $1K bribe? A $50K bribe? What's the threshold?

Tell us.




If we want people to do the right thing, then we had better put laws in place that absolutely protect those who do it. Then we'd have the right to expect vigorous disclosure of every impropriety.

Until we have those protections in place, we're simply showing unclean self-righteousness.

[magellan]

17. It's a good thing the people who founded our country didn't think like you

...or we'd still be under British rule.

And that's the last I'll say to you.

[elehhhhna]

16. Sibel Edmonds has been speaking out for a couple of years now.

No US media will touch her story.

[magellan]

18. I know you're not suggesting she shouldn't have spoken out

...are you?

[elehhhhna]

19. Hell NO! But if a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears it....etc.

[magellan]

20. But hearing it isn't the whole object

It's about personal integrity.

Sibel Edmonds, Bunny Greenhouse, Dennis Kucinich, Ambassador Joe Wilson all symbolize true patriotism to me. Unsung heroes they may be, but heroes no less. They spoke up when they saw wrong being done and fought to be heard regardless of the consequences to themselves. Why? Because they're the kind of people who won't lend their tacit approval to criminal acts by keeping quiet.

Even if no one listens.

[alfredo]

4. Better late than never. We could have provided more body armor with

that money. Corruption kills.

[TaffyMoon]

6. Criminals All

The current administration should be imprisoned.

[annabanana]

9. Get that man on record under oath!

If we ever get a chance tjo blow them outof the water, I want there to be 1000x MORE ammo than necessary. They can't just be beaten, they must be humiliated.

[flashl]

11. The culling of the civilian and military procurement and acquisition corps under * is a HUGE story.

[gratuitous]

14. Lesson: Don't monkey with Unka Dick's cash flow

KBR gots to get paid, because Unka Dick has to get paid. But let's not impeach, because as Alcee Hastings says, it would tear the country apart. And we can't have that, can we, when it's soooo united now?