Possible fraud seen in Iraq contracts - U.S. report

http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=uri:2005-10-26T222200Z_01_N26378429_RTRIDST_0_IRAQ-FRAUD.XML

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - U.S. officials and members of Iraq's provisional government bungled the management of $24 million in reconstruction grants in early 2004, and some cases may have involved fraud, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The U.S. Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart Bowen, said his office had referred several cases of potential fraud in reconstruction grants for the South-Central region for further investigation.

Those investigations were still ongoing, according to Bowen's report -- the latest in a series of detailed audits of over $30 billion in U.S. funds for Iraq reconstruction.

Bowen's spokeswoman Kristine Belisle said the Justice Department was looking at possible indictments linked to Iraqi reconstruction. She gave no details and declined to confirm if they were linked to cases in southern Iraq.

The report said personnel working for the Coalition Provisional Authority for the South-Central Region, which includes the cities of cities of Najaf and Karbala, could not account for $20.5 million in funds.

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Ya think?

This is why we needed an Iraqi government - we can blame them for losing $24 million as a smokescreen to cover Halliburton stealing $24 billion.

They filmed some guy ballot-stuffing. Apparently they're going to investigate further to see if there was any wrong doing in that incident.

What shocks me is how we let things like this happen and it seems like noboday cares! :mad:

uh -- not so much.

Irag. Few cared.

will be different this time?

The press is finally trying, but damn...I wish they'd try harder.

then voting against it without oversight was the correct way to vote. Maybe Biden (I voted yes both times) should have backed the candidate on Sunday morning talk shows like a good surrogate.