Wild West Years in Iraq, War Scandals, Old New Barbarians, It Takes a Thief………..
”Feb 2008: This comes as no surprise to many, but AIG may have been lining its pockets at the expense U.S. taxpayers. AIG is currently under investigation for overcharging KBR Inc., the Army’s largest contractor in Iraq, possibly by tens of millions. The money paying for these overpriced premiums comes from tax payers as part of the $23+ Billion contract KBR has with the Department of Defense. AIG actually gets to charge the American tax payer twice, because your tax dollars not only pay the premiums, but also reimburse AIG for what it pays out on the 15,000+ Defense Base Act claims filed with AIG since 2003….…..”
“Oct 30 2009: Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.: contractors overcharged US military in Iraq by 16,000% for vehicle parts used in Iraq. AECOM Technology of California is the main suspect, but others have been doing it for years….. gauging prices, payments for fictitious purchases, fictitious employees..…….” CNN (Oct. 30)
All this has been a common theme throughout the Bush years. The war in Iraq may have ravaged Iraq, ravaged the US budget, ravaged many American and Iraqi families of those killed and maimed. But it has been a bonanza to mercenary contractors with Republican connections, from Halliburton, KBR, to Blackwater and others. I suspect that not only these contractors, but also their affiliates, subcontractors, as well as some US officials and supervisors in Iraq benefited from this plundering of the public purse. The years 2003-2008 in Iraq were the Wild Wild West years and Bonanza years wrapped in one, West Texas style.
As for AIG, that was peanuts compared with the tens of billions of government aid paid to AIG last year. No wonder Hank Greenberg is reported to be starting another AIG-type business. They are licking their chops the barbarians of the past few years.
Cheers
mhg
Mon Email
Comments