War profiteers linked to Petraeus!

[BornagainDUer]

Another important front is (finally) emerging in coverage of Iraq: a widening scandal over corruption and where all that American money and weaponry has actually been going for four years. McClatchy newspapers reported that hundreds of thousands of dollars in US rebuilding money went to insurgents (still only a fraction of the billions that went missing overall). The Army accused Lee Dynamics International of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to US officials to get $11 million in contracts. The New York Times reported that several federal agencies are investigating weapons sales, disappearances, fraud, kickbacks, and black market profiteering by US officials. And one investigation involves senior official who worked with a Gen. David Petraeus--yes, that Gen. Petraeus--when he was heading the effort to arms and train Iraqi militias and death squads army and police units in 2004-05. (Heckuva job, Davie.) Also from the Times: US weapons given to the Iraqi army are being found used by criminal gangs in Turkey. (No surprise there; we've flooded the black market in arms the world over by handing out AK-47s etc. like candy in Iraq.) And, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Paul Brinkley (another political appointee) was accused last week by a DoD task force of mismanaging government money in Iraq--and also engaging in public drunkenness and sexual harassment

Big picture: The Project on Government Oversight reported that the top 50 Iraq contractors paid over $12 billion in fines and restitution for violating various federal laws over the last 10 years. Being scofflaws not only hasn't disqualified them from the Iraq feeding trough, but seems to be an entrance requirement......more


http://www.eatthestate.org/12-01/IraqChronicles.htm

On edit: here is another link to the story

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/world/middleeast/28military.html?ex=1345953600&en=3d96ec13b270f221&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[MadMaddie]

1. For the years 2004-2005 that would explain why the Iraqi

police and military are in the current state they are in now wouldn't it?

Sounds like War Profiteering to me....maybe the * Administration felt they would be in power one way or another past 2008 and it wouldn't matter about War Profiteering and Accountability but with the loss in Congress last year the shit is starting to hit the fan....Petreus has no choice but to be the mouth piece of this administration...he is neck deep in the corruption.

[BornagainDUer]

2. "he's neck deep in the corruption". It sure seems that way.

[formercia]

5. His nose hairs are tied to their short and curleys.

They own him.

[BornagainDUer]

3. Please kick so more can see it. Can we call him Betrayus now?

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. knr

[ShortnFiery]

6. General Peaches is also linked (senior officer) to Caryle and Col. Ted Westhusing's death ruled

"a suicide."

I am Sullied-No More
Faced with the Iraq war's corruption, Col. Ted Westhusing chose death before dishonor, June 5, 2005
Robert Bryce | March 09, 2007

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2440

Much of the speculation focused on USIS and the contractors. Did Westhusing have evidence that the contractors wanted to keep quiet? There were conflicting stories from the contractors about how they discovered Westhusing’s body. One manager said that the first time he went to find Westhusing after lunch on June 5, the door to Westhusing’s room was locked. But on a second visit, he said, he found the door unlocked. Further, one of the first people to find Westhusing in his room, a military contractor, moved Westhusing’s pistol from its original position, claiming he had done so for safety reasons. That person was never checked for gunpowder residue.

snip

In September 2005, the Army’s inspector general concluded an investigation into allegations raised in the anonymous letter to Westhusing shortly before his death. It found no basis for any of the issues raised. Although the report is redacted in places, it is clear that the investigation was aimed at determining whether Fil or Petraeus had ignored the corruption and human rights abuses allegedly occurring within the training program for Iraqi security personnel. The report, approved by the Army’s vice chief of staff, four-star Gen. Richard Cody, concluded that “commands and commanders operated in an Iraqi cultural and ethical environment often at odds with Western practices.” It said none of the unit members “accepted institutional corruption or human rights abuses. Unit members, and specifically and took appropriate action where corruption or abuse was reported.”

The context, placement and relative size of the redacted names strongly suggest that they refer to Petraeus and Fil.

[Disturbed]

7. The next MoveOn Ad should be titled:

"Ass Kissing, Chicken Shit Betrayed US"

[ShortnFiery]

8. p.s. here is the note addressed to his commanders (Fil and Petraeus): near Col Westhusing's body:

Thanks for telling me it was a good day until I briefed you. —You are only interested in your career and provide no support to your staff—no msn support and you don’t care. I cannot support a msn that leads to corruption, human right abuses and liars. I am sullied—no more. I didn’t volunteer to support corrupt, money grubbing contractors, nor work for commanders only interested in themselves. I came to serve honorably and feel dishonored. I trust no Iraqi. I cannot live this way. All my love to my family, my wife and my precious children. I love you and trust you only. Death before being dishonored any more. Trust is essential—I don’t know who trust anymore. Why serve when you cannot accomplish the mission, when you no longer believe in the cause, when your every effort and breath to succeed meets with lies, lack of support, and selfishness? No more. Reevaluate yourselves, cdrs . You are not what you think you are and I know it.

COL Ted Westhusing

Life needs trust. Trust is no more for me here in Iraq.

[Disturbed]

9. Damn! He must have been in deep pain.

It is so unfortunate that he couldn't hold on longer & quit the Military, come home and report his findings to Seymore Hirsch or another real Journalist.

[ShortnFiery]

12. I have to try very hard to not put on my tin foil hat - much of that did not sound like ...

what I would consider part of a suicide note. No, I'm no expert but something is NOT right here. At the very least, more investigation should be focused on the LARGE SCALE CORRUPTION AND GRAFT. :(

Also being a practicing Catholic as Col. Westhusing was, I must conclude that he must have been in *severe emotional pain* IF he took his own life. Anyone who WAS or is still a practicing Catholic, Suicide is a NO-NO! - More strict Catholics believe that you will be denied from heaven. :shrug:

Something just doesn't seem right. However, we CAN help end the corruption in honor of our beloved troops who gave their lives and also in the memory of Col. Westhusing - let's shine a light on this? :grouphug:

[Octafish]

17. Know your BFEE: They kill good soldiers like Col. Ted Westhusing for profit...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=126094&mesg_id=126094

Odd note, considering Col. Westhusing had three doctorates, was scheduled to come home soon, and had recently expressed fear for his personal safety. So, of course, it's "Case Closed."

[nashville_brook]

19. look at this photo and tell me this guy isn't on the take >>>

[BornagainDUer]

23. NIIICE Find! Thanks

[TexasLawyer]

10. kick

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. Kicked, recommended and emailed to those who don't see through

the veneer yet. :)

[Disturbed]

13. Is the FBI so incompent that they cannot nail this down after

six years?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

14. Investigations can be started, stopped, modulated, massaged and

disappeared by people who have placed themselves above the law.


http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0708/S00326.htm
>>Evidence Suggests CIA Purposefully Spiked Investigations

Dear Members of the Press:

A grave miscarriage of justice is afoot. After years being withheld the Administration finally is forced to release the CIA's IG Report on 9/11. While earlier news accounts said the report would be released in early September it was released in the middle of a Congressional recess, in the middle of a Summer break, thus insuring it will not receive the attention it deserves. Worse still is the conclusion in most press reports since its release that bolsters the official narrative ie. that all the myriad failures were simply due to 'systemic failure' and/or incompetence.

The circumstantial evidence running contrary to this conclusion is compelling and convincing.

It appears that Al-Hazmi and Al-Mihdhar were being protected by higher ups in the CIA. Respected author Joe Trento has reported that they were working for Saudi Intelligence. Others reported the two were removed from the watchlist two days before 9/11. I don't know if either was the case. It is clear however that there was a concerted effort to protect them similar in some respects to the way authorities in FBI HQ refused to allow Rowley and company in Minnesota to go into Mousaoui's laptop computer or how higher ups prevented Robert Wright in Chicago from going after the money trail of Yassin Al-Kadi (Qadi) who financed the software company Ptech and the terrorist group Hamas and who was later named a /Specially Designated Global Terrorist/ by President Bush in October of 2001.

There is a pattern here that cannot be adequately explained by charges of 'systemic failure' or incompetence.<<

[Amonester]

15. K&R n/t

[EFerrari]

16. There's the icing, folks.

But nobody insult this honorable man. :sarcasm:

[The Count]

18. Gee, and I thought he made up reasons to invade just for glory!

It gets crasser and crasser...Bullies and lunch money - all the way. David Chase was right.

[Hydra]

20. Well, of course he is

You don't get promoted to key positions by * unless you are part of the problem, so to speak. If you can't be blackmailed, you aren't useful.

[malaise]

21. But, but, but this cannot be

Wasn't MoveOn.org attacked for attacking St David the Petreaus of the State of Integrity. Afterall he wears a uniform.

Edit. fullstop

[Beelzebud]

22. Oh but he's an honorable man with medals on his chest!

[AtomicKitten]

24. There is a special place in hell for war-profiteers.