Investigators: $18B lost over last 3 years to Iraqi government corruption

[unhappycamper]

Investigators: $18B lost over last 3 years to Iraqi government corruption
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 5, 2007

WASHINGTON — Rampant corruption in the Iraqi government is funding attacks against coalition forces and stalling reconstruction efforts across the country, U.S. and Iraqi investigators told Congress on Thursday.

The researchers estimate nearly $18 billion has been lost over the last three years through stolen funds, phony reconstruction projects and other illegal activities.

Judge Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, the former head of Iraq’s Commission on Public Integrity, told members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that government money has been funneled to sectarian militias and family of lawmakers while vital projects go unfunded.

“When you go to the field or you go to the ground, you don’t see signs of reconstruction,” he said. “You don’t find electricity, you don’t find water, you don’t find fuel.”

~snip~

But Republicans on the committee questioned the need for the hearing, noting the problems seemed to be purely Iraqi ones. Witnesses testified that U.S. money being spent there was not as susceptible to the corruption problems.

“We didn’t bring corruption to Iraq, and it won’t stop when we leave,” said Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., ranking minority member. “Good government democrats in Iraq don’t need to be lectured by this committee on the extent of corruption in their country.”


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49274



uhc comment: WTF is a "good government democrat?"

[aquart]

1. We didn't bring the corruption but we sure brought the money.

What we're asking about is the MONEY.

[Lasher]

2. There are no purely Iraqi problems as long as we're propping them up.

That stolen $18 billion was $18 billion we wouldn't have had to come up with. So don't tell me it's none of my business.