Audit Finds Missing U.S. Weapons in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6179364,00.html

Sunday October 29, 2006 11:31 PM


AP Photo BAG117

By JOHN HEILPRIN

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly one of every 25 weapons the military bought for Iraqi security forces is missing, a government audit said Sunday. Many others cannot be repaired because parts or technical manuals are lacking.

A second report found ``significant challenges remain that put at risk'' the U.S. military's goal of strengthening Iraqi security forces by transferring all logistics operations to the defense ministry by the end of 2007. snip

The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons - almost 4 percent of the semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since the end of 2003, according to a report from the office of the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

The missing weapons will not be tracked easily: The Defense Department registered the serial numbers of only about 10,000 of the 370,251 weapons it provided - less than 3 percent.

[Wilms]

1. So did the audit find them, or are they missing?

:shrug:

I wonder if the person who wrote the headline was educated in the US.

[EFerrari]

3. It's so bad the answer is probably yes. n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

8. made sense to me K&R

don't pick on folks trying to do what they can to end an evil occupation for only profit!

[MadMaddie]

2. How is it that they didn't register all weapon serial numbers

when they purchased the weapons the manufacturer supplied the serial numbers....this is bullshit....there should be criminal charges for this type of negligence...

[pinkpops]

4. I wonder if the US would dare actually give the Iraqi army any

really powerful equipment - like rockets and tanks - so they could "defend their own country". Wouldn't they be just as likely to turn them on the US?

[MadMaddie]

5. That's a valid question....I think they would if they felt

threatened..

[boolean]

6. Ironic, isn't it? (nm)

[razors edge]

7. Damn. Guess we'll have to send more.

Your tax dollars at work.