Wartime Contracting Set To Spike Despite Rampant Fraud And Abuse

[nadinbrzezinski]

Despite recent warnings about unchecked fraud and abuse associated with wartime contracting, the number of private contractors and the costs associated with them are set to dramatically increase in the coming transition from the military to the State Department in Iraq and Afghanistan

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, estimated that the State Department is set to increase its manpower in Iraq and Afghanistan from 8,000 to 17,000 -- the great majority of whom will be contractors for security, medical, maintenance, aviation, and other functions.

The surge of wartime contractors comes after the Commission on Wartime Contracting issued its final report in late August that estimated that some $31 billion to $60 billion has been lost to contract waste and fraud.

"The waste and fraud associated with these expenditures is mind numbing," Issa said Tuesday during a hearing to examine the Commission's findings. "The State Department is building a virtual private army of security contractors in Iraq."
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/wartime-contracting-set-to-spike-despite-rampant-fraud-and-abuse.php?ref=fpb

Ah yes, why does Rome come to my mind?

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[tularetom]

2. Not "despite" - "because of"

These guys see an opportunity to steal a ton of taxpayer dollars with few or no consequences.

[prairierose]

3. Nadin, I have been thinking of the fall of Rome...

for years. I see bread and circuses all around me except this time, they left out the bread part. But , oh my gawd, the circuses....

:banghead:

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. And the use of mercs was common

At the end.