How large has the United States Government become? We’ll I’ll tell you the big business of running big government needs a major overhaul. It would be understandable that a few dollars out of a trillion-dollar budget might get lost in the shuffle, but the stories that continue to come out of Washington and how they keep track of the funds they approve and disperse is downright horrifying!
According to a congressional auditor claims that as much as $6.6 billion of reconstruction cash for Iraq cannot be accounted for and may have been stolen. Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said the missing money could be “the largest theft of funds in national history.”
How the Heck Do You Lose $6.6 Billion in Cash????
You might not be aware how the US Government doles out such huge amounts of money. My guess is that the funds would be wire transferred into a safe account with maybe a staff of 50-100 people accounting for the way it is doled out. One would expect the utmost precaution when allotting millions of dollars. How much precaution would you expect for billions?
So, just how did our government transfer the $6.6 billion to Iraq? The answer is obvious – it was flown over in C-130 Hercules cargo planes, each of which can carry up to $2.4 billion in U.S. currency. Great idea, huh?
Now Spend Millions to Find Billions
How much confidence can one possibly have in a government that allows $6.6 billion to be stolen? Now Congress is talking about the millions of dollars it will cost to get some idea of where all this money went. Personally, if I lost a $20 I would spend a lot of time looking for it.
But realistically, given the lack of competence shown by our government I think they should just cut this one loose. We all know that they are not going to find this money. Originally the government said accounting errors led to its inability to account for the cash. That sounds like the same line corporations use when they are accused of tax evasion!
The Iraqi’s Want to Sue US to Get Their Loan!
The first part was the light part of this story. This is where things really get ridiculous!
Our government admits tight control was not being kept with the cash being sent to Iraq, with millions of dollars transported in bags and on pickup trucks to Iraqi agencies and contractors. What a joke?
The Pentagon has long said it could determine what happened to the money if given time, but it has yet to do so. Iraq’s government says the U.S., which controlled the country at the time, is responsible for the funds.
Iraq’s chief auditor, Abdul Basit Turki Saeed, warned U.S. officials that his government will go to court if necessary to recoup the missing money.
“Clearly Iraq has an interest in looking after its assets and protecting them,” Samir Sumaidaie, Iraq’s ambassador to the United States.
If you are the US government how do you respond to that? Someone just stole $6.6 billion from us and Iraq shows how grateful it is for all the US has done by threatening to sue us. Go figure!