$1B In Military Equipment Missing In Iraq

Exclusive: Report Shows Vehicles, Machine Guns And More Meant For Iraqi Forces Unaccounted For

(CBS)  This story was written and reported by Laura Strickler of the CBS News Investigative Unit.

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Tractor trailers, tank recovery vehicles, crates of machine guns and rocket propelled grenades are just a sampling of more than $1 billion in unaccounted for military equipment and services provided to the Iraqi security forces, according to a new report issued today by the Pentagon Inspector General and obtained exclusively by the CBS News investigative unit. Auditors for the Inspector General reviewed equipment contracts totaling $643 million but could only find an audit trail for $83 million.

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Inspector General Report 1.95 mb.

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The report details a massive failure in government procurement revealing little accountability for the billions of dollars spent purchasing military hardware for the Iraqi security forces. For example, according to the report, the military could not account for 12,712 out of 13,508 weapons, including pistols, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and machine guns.

The report comes on the same day that Army procurement officials will face tough questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding their procurement policies. One official, Claude Bolton, assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology has already announced his resignation on the heels of sharp criticism of army contracting. Bolton’s resignation is effective Jan. 2, 2008. The Army has significantly expanded its fraud investigations in recent months.

The report is scheduled for official release Thursday afternoon. Check back with CBSNews.com for more on this developing story.

[cathomas71]

Dont you love tax $$$$$ just being flushed down the toilet?

[briannorwood]

A tank? They lost a friggin'' tank?

So a billion lost in Iraq? 500 million lost in Katrina relief?

I''m beginning to think these guys may be incompetent!

[meboard]

It''s okay guys...the VP said everything''s gonna be alright by 2009... I feel better now...

[dano21054]

I''ve lost my car in a parking lot, but if I drove a tank I''d bet that I could quickly find it. AND I could probably park anywhere I''d want to.

Does one hear the rumblings of an insurgent army practicing with new new "holiday gifts"? Just wunderin''.

[mudrose-2009]

A tank? They lost a friggin'''' tank?

So a billion lost in Iraq? 500 million lost in Katrina relief?

I''''m beginning to think these guys may be incompetent!

Posted by briannorwood

Yeah, parkings rather tight there. Gotta be careful where you put these things. Reminds me of Detroit.

[antoniof123]

This is the worst administration in history.

How do you lose a tank a friggin tank?

[macusweil]

"I''''m beginning to think these guys may be incompetent! Posted by briannorwood"

BEGINNING?! This administration is the GREATEST modern political history. The one trillion tax payer dollars wasted in Iraq could have easily save Social Security for a generation.

You decide,, lose a war to some low tech sand fleas and bearded thieves or retire without having to eat canned pet food to survive? The "Decider" has already decided for you!

[toddpelosi]

Maybe they could lose just 1/2 a billion and the people of American could get the rest, considering more money is going to Iraq, or just disappearing away. I wonder what we''re not hearing.

[billpl-2009]

It''s all accounting not the physical equipment

no one lost a tank

typical media hype

[stevex47]

Ya, but Clinton had s-e-x.

[forthepeopl1]

and everyone is running away with billions from us americans. and congress doesn''t care..what a country

and everyone wants to put clinton in office, why would we put her in, she is the same as bush, but lies alot better

[mudrose-2009]

It''''s all accounting not the physical equipment

no one lost a tank

typical media hype

Posted by billpl

Gee, then I guess down in Louisiana, there was an accouinting problem too with the Governor and the Mayor and all those tax dollars that went down there to fix the infrastructure and someone it never got to the levees. Or like the Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere? That kind of accounting problem?

[roger_inkart]

Yup, more proof the Iraq invasion was perhaps the worst, most incompetent military action in the nation''s history.

Thanks to the Bush White House, Rummy, Wolfowitz, Kagan, Pearle and all the other little arrogant, slimy neo-con lowlifes.

[forthepeopl1]

lets not forget the 6 trailers full of american dollars that they haven''t found yet. the trailer were fill with hard cold cash, only about 1 trillion dollars, so i think they are light on the amount of what has been lost..

this is a true fact, they lost 6 trailers filled with american dollars to help get thing going because there was no banks around to put it in at the start of the war..

i think i will go over with a medtel detector and see what i can find.

[fstop100]

Maybe the man in charge should be arrested!!

[cathomas71]

lets not forget the 6 trailers full of american dollars that they haven''''t found yet.

I dont know, but man I wishe I could find it, hehe! My kids want PS3''s and PSP''s for XMAS. Should could use some extra $$$$$.

[ssm9451]

HOLY COW!!!! What the h e l l are they doing over there?

Who ever is or was responsible for this treasonable act should be held responsible to the fullest extent of the law and then some.That has caused our brave and courageous troops grave problems, simply because of GREED ....nothing less than GREED AND TREATCHERY.

[roger_inkart]

Entropy in a closed system tends to increase. The Bush administration had cronies and crooks doing oversight for the money being spent in Iraq. It''s little wonder SO much of it has disappeared.

Where is the outrage from the ''fiscal conservatives?'' Shouldn''t you folks be screaming for accountability on this? Or is it only a problem when a Democrat is careless with taxpayer dollars?

[gce651]

Not that it''s understandable to lose a tank or any other big ticket item like that, but military hardware is so grossly inflated that it doesn''t take much to add up to a $ billion. Whatever is lost will just go in with whatever''s been destroyed or left there when the Pentagon war machine wants more and more money to replace it all. Oh, but then it will be a matter of keeping our troops supplied or keeping our economy going by funding the defense industry. Defense industry, what a joke of a name. It''s the WAR INDUSTRY and it''s mostly offensive.

[olebd]

This must have went down the drain with all that unused water that was meant for Katrina victims.

[mudrose-2009]

No need to look for it... It will be returned one bullet at a time.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive

You can hardly miss a tank Fancy Nancy, we are talking about allocation of funds. Get with the program.

[mudrose-2009]

HOLY COW!!!! What the h e l l are they doing over there?

Posted by ssm9451

Playing the bongos and singing Kumbia.

[dredre2k]

"lets not forget the 6 trailers full of american dollars that they haven''''t found yet. the trailer were fill with hard cold cash, only about 1 trillion dollars, so i think they are light on the amount of what has been lost.."

This money didn''t just go missing... the same people who looted the iraqi national treasury after the start of the war found a nice "safe" place for our money. What do you think those mercenary armies like Blackwater are really there to protect? They protect assets and carry out missions for their rich masters... with no oversight and accountability. Add up all of the fraudulent charges by US companies profiting from the War (Haliburton was caught once but there are many) and you''ve got Fraud Waste and Abuse on an unprecedented scale.

Regarding the missing equipment, the iraqi brigages probably sold it all once they received it... a friend of mine said that this was happening in Afghanistan. US military would provide militia with equipment one year and the next it was all gone! Sold to anyone who had cash.

To sum it all up, yeah... the taxpayers have been robbed by the people in office who started this war.

[drivelphobe]

$1 Billion lost in Iraq is a drop in the bucket. It probably went as necessary bribes in a corrupt country. I''d rather lose it there than to give it to illegal aliens here.

[shanev137]

We have spent $700 BILLION trying to lose this war so far.


What''s a billion dollars worth of equipment. LOL

I have come to the conclusion, that MOST, IF NO ALL POLITICIANS ARE SIMPLY THERE TO rape THE COUNTRY OF EVER CENT THEY CAN STEAL..IT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT, ALL THEY CARE FOR IS WHO THEY REPRESENT AND THOSE THEY ARE OBLIGHATED TO, TO REPAY THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR ELECTION. USE YOUR POWER AND VOTE THE BUMS OUT OF OFFICE...WAKE UP AND MAKE YOUR SELF HEARD..VOTE..LET YOUR CONGRESSMEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND DESERVE..SQUEEKY WHEELS GET ALL THE ATTENTION!!!

[terrapin78]

I remember a time in the not too distant past (1980''s) that the Repugs clamored to be "transparent" and "to accept personal responsibility".

Now that seems very refreshing but alas the Repugs have given up transparency and personal responsibility for power!

[mudrose-2009]

I have come to the conclusion, that MOST, IF NO ALL POLITICIANS ARE SIMPLY THERE TO rape THE COUNTRY OF EVER CENT THEY CAN STEAL..IT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT, ALL THEY CARE FOR IS WHO THEY REPRESENT AND THOSE THEY ARE OBLIGHATED TO, TO REPAY THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR ELECTION. USE YOUR POWER AND VOTE THE BUMS OUT OF OFFICE...WAKE UP AND MAKE YOUR SELF HEARD..VOTE..LET YOUR CONGRESSMEN KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND DESERVE..SQUEEKY WHEELS GET ALL THE ATTENTION!!!
Posted by beschoice

WELL SEE THAT''S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET BIG NANNY GOVERNMENT TAKE CARE OF THE PURSE. IMAGINE WHAT THEY WILL DO TO HEALTHCARE.

[skyhawk761]

It''''s all accounting not the physical equipment

no one lost a tank

typical media hype




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Posted by billpl at 01:55 PM : Dec 06, 2007

You better read the article again. It states that " For example, according to the report, the military could not account for 12,712 out of 13,508 weapons, including pistols, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and machine guns." Typical right wingnut, blame the media.

[jetlizhan]

this is beyond words - what the he.ll''s really happening over there?

[smirk5]

Come on Cons! Defend this! Blame it on Clinton. Do something.

[l8c6]

Oh, what of it, it''s not that much. Only 4,000 americans could be given 250k each to make a billion dollars. Spread that over all americans and it''s nothing. One billion for one person is pretty sweet. It''s 999 million + 1. If corporate profits can be consolidated into fewer hands this diversion of funds could make a good lifestyle for that small number of beneficiaries. Must be a small number driving the bus for that motivation to siphon money out of the treasury.

[roger_inkart]

You can hardly miss a tank Fancy Nancy, we are talking about allocation of funds. Get with the program.

Posted by mudrose at 02:18 PM : Dec 06, 2007

Yes, and the ''program''is if there is a (R) behind the president''s name - it''s all good and can be explained away. It''s just an accounting error. But if there is a (D) let the SOB have it with both barrels! Scream at the tops of your lungs about the wasteful dems!

Can you IMAGINE the outrage from the right wing - O''Reilly, Coulter, Hannity, etc - if this had happened during Cliton''s administration? They''d all be so outraged they''d be blue in the face. Every day they''d rail and rail. But hey, it''s a Republican in the White House so they''re all quiet as mice.

[roger_inkart]

Typical right wingnut, blame the media.

Posted by skyhawk761 at 02:25 PM : Dec 06, 2007

No kidding! And not even bother to read the article before writing it off as media hype.

[bencas4]

This is not new. It''s just screaming at us in the face.

The government is so mismanaged and has been for years. The function of procurement has no real internal controls. Their budgets are based on last years usage. So what happens during August and September prior to the end of the fiscal year? All of the buyers go crazy trying to preserve their budget by making purchases from their vendors. The vendors are afraid to say anything as they do not want to jeopardize the business. So year after year, stock rooms are filled with extra merchandise that periodically goes missing and all of us pay for it. This time the difference is the location.

[cryonbrian]

Bin Laden has it!

[mudrose-2009]

Can you IMAGINE the outrage from the right wing - O''''Reilly, Coulter, Hannity, etc - if this had happened during Cliton''''s administration? They''''d all be so outraged they''''d be blue in the face. Every day they''''d rail and rail. But hey, it''''s a Republican in the White House so they''''re all quiet as mice.

Posted by roger_inkart

Can you imagine what we left behind in Nam? How about the Pacific and Altantic theatre in WWII. Media hype. Anything to rile the base against the war. The surge is working, Cheney acknowledges it, Gates states it, Murtha agrees and all of a suddent the money is a factor. Get with it.

[l8c6]

WELL SEE THAT''''S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET BIG NANNY GOVERNMENT TAKE CARE OF THE PURSE. IMAGINE WHAT THEY WILL DO TO HEALTHCARE.

Posted by mudrose

You ignorant moronic c*um load exposed to toxic waste. It''s government hating global corporatists who have destroyed our government having pushed and succeeded at granting more rights to their private corporate entities than individual citizens and the collective will of the people, who have bought, pimped and appointed politicians with global corporatized wealth that has made this dysfunction possible. The people of the U.S. let this happen. The people of the U.S. allowed these con men to play on their prejudices against one another. Divide the populace with rhetoric and steal the booty has been the right wing global fascism''s strategy and it has worked. New world order is Old world order of large concentrations of wealth. Selective law enforcement with immunity to the elite ruling class.

REMEMBER...KRUSCHEV..PREMIER OF RUSSIA..AT THE UN MEETING IN THE 60S, BANGE HIS SHOE ON THE TABLE AND SHOUTE TO THE WORLD, RUSSIA WOULD BURY US FROM WITHIN, WITHOUT MILITARY NEED...THINK ABUT IT..TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE LEVEL WE HAVE REACHED SINCE THEN.WE, AMERICA IS SLOWLY AND GRADUALY DEGRADING ITSELF IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD...WE ARE FAR FROM THE POWER WE WERE A FEW YEARS AGO..THE POLITICIANS ARE GIVING AMERICA AWAY TO OUR ENEMIES. THEY ARE SELLING OUT AMERICA BECAUSE OF G R E E D..... IT IS ALL ABOUT M O N E Y $$$$$$ THE PEOPLE MEAN NOTHING...
USE YOUR POWER...AND VOTE THE POLITICIANS OUT...OUT

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by l8c6

Stuff it in your pantaloons and sit on it.

[rohink-2009]

My only hope is that there are more people out there like mudrose, but that CBS doesn''t attract them.

[roger_inkart]

The surge is working, Cheney acknowledges it, Gates states it, Murtha agrees and all of a suddent the money is a factor. Get with it.

Posted by mudrose at 02:33 PM : Dec 06, 2007

Ah, your hyper-partisan colors have never flown more brightly. You are a supposed conservative, no? Yet you rationalize this terrible waste of taxpayer dollars. And you do so only because of who is responsible for it. If this was a military action created and executed by a Democratic president I have NO doubt you''d sing a much, much different tune.

[rohink-2009]

The majority of the people posting on this sight remind me of the fool that was run over by the train in San Fran, because he was so self absorbed yakking on the phone. Oblivious to their surroundings.

[clestes-2009]

Gee, think of all the uninsured children that could have had insurance. Or how much better the lowly American school system could have been helped.

Iraq has broken the US bank! We are in debt way over our heads, we are continueing the money loss every *** month to the tune of $12 BILLION. This is the biggest waste of manpower and money that has ever happened in our history.

Just think how happy our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will be when they are taxed to pay off the debt with interest!!

Thank you very much, shrub & co, for putting the American people in this bind for decades to come!! You will be remembered as the biggest losers to ever hold the presidency with all your lies, distortions, greedy eyes on middle oil, violating the Constitution, bullyiers of UN and US intelligence agencies.

[mudrose-2009]

Ah, your hyper-partisan colors have never flown more brightly. You are a supposed conservative, no? Yet you rationalize this terrible waste of taxpayer dollars. And you do so only because of who is responsible for it. If this was a military action created and executed by a Democratic president I have NO doubt you''''d sing a much, much different tune.
Posted by roger_inkart

Well at least it wasn''t wasted on the Woodstock Museum. How about the Alaskan Bridge to nowhere.

[antoniof123]

During the 90''s Bill Clinton was put on trial for nothing he and his family were investigated to the tune of million and millions of tax payers dollars at the helm were the Republicans. We put them there because we were unhappy with the direction of the country. Now we have removed them because we are unhappy with the direction they took us in they promised us one way then went another. But they still try to keep us going in their direction.

I can tell you wing nuts this WE THE PEOPLE decide the direction of this country. So wing nuts you shouldn''t have anything to say because 2008 will decided for the incompetent party of America. The GOP promised us contract with America instead with got Contract ON America. Thanks but your days are numbered and you know it.

[l8c6]

Can you IMAGINE the outrage from the right wing - O''''''''Reilly, Coulter, Hannity, etc - if this had happened during Cliton''''''''s administration? They''''''''d all be so outraged they''''''''d be blue in the face. Every day they''''''''d rail and rail. But hey, it''''''''s a Republican in the White House so they''''''''re all quiet as mice.

Posted by roger_inkart

Can you imagine what the "liberal" (snicker) media would have been doing if Clinton, Carter, any democrat or "bleeding heart, do gooder liberal had called the United States Constitution a "god*da*mn piece of paper"?

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

%u201CI don%u2019t give a *******,%u201D Bush retorted. %u201CI%u2019m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.%u201D

[j-whitman]

Infidel_Us ---- It''s a massive failure in government procurement...
.. The direct result of this White House gutting military procurment to benifit favorite contractors that you Bumper Sticker "Support The Troops" dingbats completely ignored.

[l8c6]

%u201CMr. President,%u201D one aide in the meeting said. %u201CThere is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.%u201D

%u201CStop throwing the Constitution in my face,%u201D Bush screamed back. %u201CIt%u2019s just a ********* piece of paper!%u201D