United States Loses Another $5 Billion Dollars in Iraq

[unhappycamper]

unhappycamper note: Since the Pentagon has ‘requested’ that I only post one paragraph from articles on Army Times, and Airforce Times, I’ve decided to give ya’ll an unhappycamper summary of the article and a link to the OP. To keep in that same (new) tradition, I will also do the same for for articles on Navy Times, Marine Corps Times, stripes.com and military.com.

To read the article in the military's own words, you will need to click the link.

I didn't realize that the Pentagon/MIC could restrict my First Amendment rights as well as morph the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. § 107 with zero, zip, nada Congressional approval. It sure is beginning to smell like fascism.[br />
unhappycamper summary of this article: Things aren't going all that well in Iraq. Too bad we can't rebuild schools and infrastructure in the United States.



As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in U.S. taxpayer funds has been wasted on these projects — more than 10 percent of the $53.7 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.

http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/08/ap-iraq-legacy-of-reconstruction-083010/

[KharmaTrain]

1. This Money Is Far From Lost...

...it's now sitting in bank accounts of many of our country's finest corporations...more corporate welfare that has made this war a very profitable enterprise and they don't want to see a nice cash cow go away. Dare I say that without all this money flying around that our unemployment numbers (not just those who found "safe haven" from the desolate economy in the military) but with the many corporations that are keeping people working making weapons of destruction. Sad, but as the leading merchant of death in the world, the US still values keeping this sector very busy and profitable. Too bad that same emphasis isn't placed on building schools or developing a healthcare system to care for all...but building things that go boom is far more profitable.

I fail to see what the new "mission" is in Iraq. Seems like our troops are garrisoned away and more or less prisoners in a land of hostile and conflicting interests. The only purpose in remaining is to keep the money taps open to the MIC...it sure isn't making this country any safer nor will it prevent the inevitable bloodletting in Iraq created by the boooosh invasion and to be played out between Sunni & Shia no matter how many US troops are there. While this administration attempt to claim victory, as long as our troops remain in that stinkin' desert we've all lost.

[WinkyDink]

4. Every word, KharmaTrain; every word.

[Obamanaut]

2. This gets a rec not only for the content, but also for the visibility of the imposed restriction. nt

[Fumesucker]

3. Don't Iraqis have single payer healthcare?

At least in theory?

[Nite Owl]

5. Meanwhile here at home....

Social Security faces the chopping block
99er's get no unemployment and all others are scared of losing theirs
Bridges are falling and roads need repaving
Millions still go without healthcare and die
Food pantries can't keep up with demands--from the former middle class
Schools need teachers and books

etc, etc, etc

but the mic gets all they want to squander away without question
And all this with a Democratic President and Congress!
Depressing

[Obamanaut]

6. ! nt