I’ve finally found the one true reason we are still in Iraq.
We aren’t there for the weapons of mass destruction, because there aren’t any. We aren’t there to bring democracy to the Middle East because we haven’t done a thing to accomplish that (in fact we may have set it back a 1000 years). We aren’t there for the oil (at least not yet) because the Iraqis won’t pass an oil law turning over most of their profits to our “friends” at Big Oil. We aren’t there to rid Iraq of Saddam, because, well, he’s dead. And we aren’t there to stymie Iran, because by all accounts Iranian influence has increased since we invaded Iraq.
So why are we still there accomplishing nothing other than death (thousands of Iraqis, Americans and assorted others each month) and destruction (in the billions of dollar), and the wargasm said death and destruction engenders in right wing bloggers (priceless)? So “free marketeers” can continue to make easy money from their Big Government contracts, that’s why, even when (or should I say especially when) they don’t provide what those contracts require of them:
The [USA Today] found that, through October, more than two-thirds of contracts flagged by auditors as “inflated, erroneous or otherwise improper” eventually found their way to approval, representing over $1 billion.
(Cont.)
Of course, that only represents the “wasteful” contracts the auditors catch. Considering that its highly likely the number of auditors on the job in Iraq are woefully insufficient to monitor all of the contracts that the Bush administration has seen fit to so “liberally” dispense to our needy contractors and defense companies in America, I doubt we catch even a fraction of the fraud and waste that goes on there. Which means that the true number of wasteful, fraudulent or purely bogus contracts is probably much higher. Yet, even when caught stealing from the till, as it were, these contractors know they stand a 66% chance they’ll still get to keep the government’s money along with the chance to steal even more. What a country!
In short, Iraq is the world’s greatest boondoggle. A gold rush of a boondoggle, in fact. Money is tossed around (literally) like lettuce at a produce market, and if a few billion goes missing here or there, so what? It’s not like the ideologues in charge of dispensing this largesse care, so long as its going to a good cause (i.e., a past and/or current contributor to the GOP). It’s not their money their handing out to their pals, after all. It’s yours and mine. And if you’ve ever had the good fortune to go to a casino with someone else’s money in your pocket, well, I think you can get a handle on the psychology involved here. No wonder Bush liked the “surge” strategy so much. More troops cost more money. And where does that money go?
That last question is rhetorical, folks. Supply your own answer.
I’ve finally found the one true reason we are still in Iraq.
So “free marketeers” can continue to make easy money from their Big Government contracts, that’s why, even when (or should I say especially when) they don’t provide what those contracts require of them
understand this, and you will understand where the main force of your intellect should be directed. hint: not what’s on TV, or even in the scope of what “national” politicians are doing. we’re talking trillions. compare that to the numbers of our world, and you gain perspective.
Further, the boondoggle had to be accomplished outside the US. This has enabled Bush’s cronies to siphon the money offshore, beyond the purview of the IRS and the reach of the temporarily defanged Department of Justice. This is basically no different than when third-world dictators ship bundles of cash (literally) off to tax haven banks so that they live off their theft. Bush will go down in history beside Papa Doc, Suharto, Mbutu, Somoza and others as the head of one of the largest kleptocracies ever seen. Every one set themselves up so they could scuttle off into the sunset to avoid justice. I expect to see the same for Bush and Cheney. Cheney’s employer (and that ain’t you and me) has already set into motion its plans to desert the US bunker down in the desert.
Title: A bill to prohibit profiteering and fraud relating to military action, relief, and reconstruction efforts, and for other purposes.
l’ve been wondering where this was, and this prodded me to find out. introduced 4 jan 2007 by vermont senator patrick leahy, and as of 15 may, having been voted out of committee, is scheduled for debate by the senate as a whole.
currently, there are 21 cosponsors. ought to be all the d’s, just like habeas corpus, eh.
additional summary and sen leahy’s statement upon the bill’s introduction is HERE.
just one of the reasons halliburton, and l suspect others of their ilk, is moving to dubai…
perhaps this bill should be receiving a bit more attention in light of all the recent disclosures.
lTMF’sA
Pork is the primary reason to do this. It also is the reason the Cheney Administration has completely dropped the ball on Israeli-Palestinian reconcilliation.
Rumsfeld and his “Old Europe” lie is just a way to cover up the Cold War Military-Industrial Complex era of Pork Pork Pork. Call it “Old America” why don’t we?
FOLLOW THE MONEY.
So often we clash on ideologies and religious issues, but it’s about the MONEY.