Billions wasted in Iraq

[Bill Mattocks]

http://www.military.com/news/article/us-wasted-billions-in-rebuilding-iraq.html?ESRC=topstories.RSS

US Wasted Billions in Rebuilding Iraq

August 30, 2010
Associated Press

KHAN BANI SAAD, Iraq -- A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children's hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million wastewater treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets.
As the U.S. draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted -- more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.

That amount is likely an underestimate, based on an analysis of more than 300 reports by auditors with the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. And it does not take into account security costs, which have run almost 17 percent for some projects.

Hey, why not? We spend taxpayer money just as profligately in the USA, why not throw it away in Iraq too?

 

[Bruno@MT]

http://www.military.com/news/article/us-wasted-billions-in-rebuilding-iraq.html?ESRC=topstories.RSS



Hey, why not? We spend taxpayer money just as profligately in the USA, why not throw it away in Iraq too?

It is now a de-facto 51st state so it deserves US tax dollars. No taxation without representation or something like that (just kidding)

 

[crushing]

It is now a de-facto 51st state so it deserves US tax dollars. No taxation without representation or something like that (just kidding)

Actually, I think it would be the 58th.

My apologies Bill, I don't have much to add to what you already said.

 

[Empty Hands]

According to the CBO, the war in both nations will cost $2.4 trillion by 2017, with 1.9 of that spent in Iraq. Your point is sound and money should not be wasted, but $5 billion in failed projects amounts to 0.26% of the total cost. Hey, at least they wasted money trying to build something to make things better instead of wasting money to make things worse.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Sorry Bill, you are incorrect.
Very little comes from the US taxpayer.
As the vast majority of the money spent is debt, it will come from your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren, and probably a few generations past that not yet born.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Sorry Bill, you are incorrect.
Very little comes from the US taxpayer.
As the vast majority of the money spent is debt, it will come from your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren, and probably a few generations past that not yet born.

Good point - deficit spending. However, it will come from SOME US taxpayer, even if not me personally. Maybe I shouldn't mind. After all, my wife and I have no children. What happens to the rest of ya'll children is not my problem. Hmmm.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Bill,

Unfortunately we have to deal with other governments to get money to help those in ANY country.

Name one country that does not rip us off?

We have aid to Israel (and some if it gets ripped off), any third world country in Africa or South America (and they rip off a lot!) Caribbean Islands (honesty is a joke in the Caribbean!) And Asia? Ha! From Vietnam to Cambodia to Burma to Pakistan to India… And don’t forget Eastern Europe. From Azerbaijan to Belarus to Georgia to Kyrgyzstan... they all rip us off!!

Sure I have no doubt money sent to Iraq has been stolen… It’s done everywhere we send money!

The only way to not have our money subject to pilfering is to not give it, period.

Deaf

 

[WC_lun]

There hasn't been a lot of oversight in Iraq. There have been lots of stories coming out of Iraq of money being wasted, misaproproated, and just plain stolen from players as varied as Iraqi government officials to US contractors. It seems common sense that if you are going to send tons of money somewhere, you put someone in charge of seeing that money is going where you want it. We didn't use much common sense when it comes to Iraq though.

 

[Tez3]

Bill,

Unfortunately we have to deal with other governments to get money to help those in ANY country.

Name one country that does not rip us off?

We have aid to Israel (and some if it gets ripped off), any third world country in Africa or South America (and they rip off a lot!) Caribbean Islands (honesty is a joke in the Caribbean!) And Asia? Ha! From Vietnam to Cambodia to Burma to Pakistan to India… And don’t forget Eastern Europe. From Azerbaijan to Belarus to Georgia to Kyrgyzstan... they all rip us off!!

Sure I have no doubt money sent to Iraq has been stolen… It’s done everywhere we send money!

The only way to not have our money subject to pilfering is to not give it, period.

Deaf

And here's a lesson in how to insult as many people as possible.

You think all West Indians then are dishonest? All 47,000 people on St Kitts and Nevis? Or is it the Bahamians? the St Lucians? the Trindadians?

 

[elder999]

And here's a lesson in how to insult as many people as possible.

You think all West Indians then are dishonest? All 47,000 people on St Kitts and Nevis? Or is it the Bahamians? the St Lucians? the Trindadians?

Oh, honey-hush! :lol:

 

[Empty Hands]

And here's a lesson in how to insult as many people as possible.

You think all West Indians then are dishonest? All 47,000 people on St Kitts and Nevis? Or is it the Bahamians? the St Lucians? the Trindadians?

But don't you dare call them a bigot! That makes you the bigot!

 

[crushing]

Oh, honey-hush! :lol:

Took me a moment to see the t-shirt as I was distracted by the combination of a moustache and hair bun.

 

[zDom]

I think it's a buncha crap.

We should exact repayment. In oil. We'll never get our investment back in gratitude or goodwill.

 

[WC_lun]

ROFL Yeah, I mean they have some real nerve, getting invaded by us and not being grateful for it! Since they haven't shown enough gratitude we should take thier oil!! ...and people wonder why we have a bad reputation among many around the world.

 

[Tez3]

I believe a lot of American companies however have done very well out of Iraq. it was supposed to be a fair handout of contracts but funnily enough nearly all the companies who got the contracts are American. We got some sub contracts, hell we didn't go to war to make a loss, we want profit! :uhohh:

As the war was about oil I can't see why anyone would think the Iraqis would be grateful, things are worse now for them than they were under Saddam!

 

[FieldDiscipline]

I believe a lot of American companies however have done very well out of Iraq.

Not alone either. Possibly.

 

[Deaf Smith]

And here's a lesson in how to insult as many people as possible.

You think all West Indians then are dishonest? All 47,000 people on St Kitts and Nevis? Or is it the Bahamians? the St Lucians? the Trindadians?

It's called governments Tez, governments. THEY take the money and not much gets to where it is supposed to.

Now if insulting a government makes me a bigot, well so be it.

Deaf

 

[Tez3]

It's called governments Tez, governments. THEY take the money and not much gets to where it is supposed to.

Now if insulting a government makes me a bigot, well so be it.

Deaf

I never said anything about bigots, try looking somewhere else for that.

You didn't say governments at all.

So America is 'supporting the West Indies now is it and Her Majesty's Govenments there are ripping you off. How interesting, why don't you write and tell her?

 

[elder999]

I never said anything about bigots, try looking somewhere else for that.

You didn't say governments at all.

So America is 'supporting the West Indies now is it and Her Majesty's Govenments there are ripping you off. How interesting, why don't you write and tell her?

U.S. aid to Jamaica,2006-11, $21 million.

You can find U.S. aid for the same period for every country in Latin America and the Caribbean, here

 

[WC_lun]

I believe a lot of American companies however have done very well out of Iraq. it was supposed to be a fair handout of contracts but funnily enough nearly all the companies who got the contracts are American. We got some sub contracts, hell we didn't go to war to make a loss, we want profit! :uhohh:

As the war was about oil I can't see why anyone would think the Iraqis would be grateful, things are worse now for them than they were under Saddam!

Many of the contracts were no bid contracts also. Even though that isn't supposed to be how they contracts with the Pentagon are to be given. Add to that several of the companies had been charged with ripping the government off on prior contracts and were supposed to be banned from recieving any further contracts from the Pentagon for a period of time. Didn't work out that way.

in short, they gave no bid contracts with no oversight to companies that had stolen from them before. Gee, big suprise billions were lost, huh?