It seems to us that if these were normal times — when we weren’t far far through the looking glass already — a story such as this would have been front page news. For days on end. At least. Such as things are, however, here in Bizzarro World (previously known as America) this story ran on p. 12 of Tuesday’s LA Times…
…
Democrats also released a report that added up findings from previously undisclosed Defense Department audits. Together, they show more than $1 billion in possible overcharges and $422 million in billing that lacked the kind of documentation the auditors needed to determine whether the charges were proper.
The vast scale goes well beyond previously released figures. In earlier public reports, auditors had identified about $400 million in questioned costs.
…
Rory Mayberry, a former [Kellog, Brown & Root, a division of Halliburton] food service manager, discussed some of the overcharges in a videotaped statement. He said the company served troops food that had been expired for as long as a year, provided Turkish and Filipino workers with leftovers in trash bags rather than culturally appropriate food, and overcharged for 10,000 meals per day in order to make up for a financial sanction imposed by the Pentagon.
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Another possible impropriety was a waiver, apparently given by top Defense Department officials, that allowed Halliburton to bill the department without providing cost and pricing data. [Army Corps of Engineers senior procurment officer, Bunnatine] Greenhouse said she normally would have been required to sign any such waiver, but this one “didn’t even appear in my system.”
The waiver allowed the company to pay a politically connected Kuwaiti oil company more than $1 per gallon to transport gasoline — work now being done, under worse security conditions, for 18 cents a gallon, according to executives of Lloyd-Owen International, which transports the fuel under contract with the Iraqi government.
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Greenhouse and Mayberry said they faced retribution for speaking out.
Greenhouse said she had been told by the acting chief counsel of the Corps of Engineers that appearing at the hearing “would not be in my best interest.” Mayberry said that after he spoke to auditors in Iraq, he was transferred to a more dangerous assignment in Fallouja.
I watched a little of this on CSPAN a couple of days ago – and found links to pdf’s of testimony. I can’t remember where at this point. I had heard about this months ago, actually. And Dorgan and Waxman, to their credit, have previously held hearings about the corruption in the CPA.
This admin. is absolutely corrupt. They deserve no less than impeachment.
Ah, I found it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t...be-h_3284.html
And if you go to www. huffingtonpost.com/ and search on Charlie Cray, you will find other articles of his about Halliburton.
When Bunnatine speaks, people listen!
Speak loudly and clearly.
This administration and all who work for it or support it are the most vial, callous, arrogant, traitorous sons-of-a-bitches in the history if this country. Although I doubt (but hoper) it will happen, the only just end for these vermin is impeachment, trial, or court martial and punisment. As I remember, treason is an executable crime. Better yet, lock them all up in Abu Ghraib with Blair and Saddam and treat them to its well known recreational activities. I’m sure you could find a few Iraqis willing to act as activities Director.
As for the Republican congressmen who deny reality and Democratic congressmen who ignore reality because they’re more worried about protecting their jobs and status than protecting this country and the brave military fighting and dying in an illegal war, you are just as despicable. It appears that Senator Conyers and the few who have joined him, are the only Congressman with the honor and integrity to deserve to retain his position.
If our government can’t figure out no one is above the law, maybe the American people should march into DC, drag out the miserable bastards, and rid America of the cancer within before it’s too late.
Scotp –
Agreed.
I’d be happy to walk to Washington and drag out the bastards with you and subject them to a little ‘retribution’.
We could also walk over to whatever hole Dick is hiding in as well.
Folks, we can do it! All we have to do is name the date and venue, spread the word with total perseverence, and we can take our country back. I’m not much of an organizer, and doing it from Prague would make the job that much harder, but, economically stressed though I be, I promise to fly over there to take part in the taking back of this once noble land! Let’s get it together! The MSM couldn’t possible ignore a lasting siege of the Capitol by concerned citizens. Think Ukraine and rejoice. Let us raise a glorious racket up at the powers that be! As they say over here, "Do toho!" (loosely translates as "Let’s roll!") We can rotate on duty stints there and keep 500,000 concerned citizens there for as long as it takes. What on this sweet Earth are we waiting for???
If Bush were kidnapped and sent to Saudi Arabia, would that be "extraordinary rendition?" Or would it be another business opportunity in oil?
#4
This congess just gave itself another $3000 + payraise ==for a job well done?
Just great! Send the kids off to war. Share the loot and collect $165,000 per year. No wonder why they hate government, they don’t want to encourage others to try to get their lousy jobs! And they get to call it ‘service’ too.
I agree.