$1B In Military Equipment Missing In Iraq

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 Report1.95 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.

By Laura Strickler

[dovv]

Don''t forget the 2.3 Trillion Dollars missing from the DOD budget on Sept 10, 2001...yea, don''t forget that!

www.ronpaul2008.com

[cigpig]

1 bil.is that all. i remember when the news was who got the story, told the story presenting facts,and backed it all the way to somthing being done about it.at the cost of there lives there famileys there job.that was the stakes back then but they chose to do it.but now its all about short skirts and big smiles.with a lot of sensationalism.and then it just goes away yielding to the next big scam from the big house .but what worries me most is what if them weapons never lsft are country.mabey just stored away till time to arm some 1,s .say mabey even a 100thousand blackwater guards when they come to the USA.after they have squanderd enough money in iraq.cause under there laws we are all terriorist.and we just might need to be disarmed..for are own good of course!look what a good job they have done with the war on drugs!the way this country is heading makes me sick thinking of my 3 children and nieces and nephews having to grow up under the new american laws,yes fox is the worst.but all the major news outlets act most the same way just cover it up a little better.the internet is a wonderful tool for a open mind.but hate spewing warmonger greedy SOB,s.just see it as another way of spewing more ammo for the closed minded morons who suck it up and spew it back out with no fact checking of there own.just the thoughts of a bad spelling cig smoking hillbilly......God bless and have a great day!!~~CigPig~~

[scober2003]

In regards to speakinup''s comments; isn''t that what we are suppossedly in Iraq for? Freedom of speech? Since speakin'' up exhibits disdain for anyone who disagrees with his/her uninformed points of view; apparantly, this blogger doesn''t support freedom of thought or expression. Perhaps they should not be on CBS website but rather FOX website where they will find opinions more in kind.
P.s. They can also watch moronic programming designed to dull the minds of viewers such as King of the Hill, Simpsons and all the other trash on that network.

[scober2003]

Unbelievable! The waste and fraud of this current administration continue unabated. Congress needs to say "NO" to Bush''s latest request for funding for a war that is endless and with no purpose other than to seize Iraq''s oil and position in the Middle East. The previous overcharging by Halliburton, the no bid contracts to big business that have supported the Bush/Cheney campaign and allegations of cronyism all point to a continued waste of taxpayer funds. Just imagine all the programs we could be providing to our citizens with the money going down the drain in Iraq.
"Your''e doing a hell of a job, Bushie"!

[underdogus]

And, probably half of them are really idiots from other countries posing as US citizens.
Posted by speakinup ha speakindildo is at it again....

[bm6005]

Has anyone ever noticed how it is the same 20+ whacked out far left liberals that post to SeeBS and Bush bash ?
20 folks out of what, almost 300 million. And, probably half of them are really idiots from other countries posing as US citizens.
Posted by speakinup

So you really think it''s only 20 huh?? It''s fairly obvious that you''ve been gulping the kool-aid SIR! There''s more than 20 by far, we''re not all liberals (not even close), I drive American pickups and Jeeps (German & J ap cars are the conservatives choice), There''s at least 51% of us who want this warmongering MORON in jail!!

[neobrian-2009]

Easy to find these !
They are with the WMD !!Makes you proud doesn`t it ?The feds take our tax money and fund King W`s Oil friends,Halliburton,Blackwatergate and whatever else Dead-eye Dicck wants.Losing our money,our resources and our lives in this " Endless Oil War " is totally disgusting. " Friends don`t let friends vote republicon "

[krazykat2525]

oh i am sure it went (the money not the equip) into someone''s pockets just like the $8-10m from the credit card companies goes into both parties funds every single year which enables them to be above the law. You are so beyond right re revolution! That is the only thing that will get this country back on track. Did u realize more vets have committed suicide than have been killed in Iraq? (due to lack of congress funding them, renigging on promise after promise to retired military & cutting ww11 vets pay down to a mere $400.00 a month. Oh, this is Dec 7th, isn''t it.

[firststate]

tennesseean1
Amen!

[jaiwill68]

why are u white folks so stupid. How can u lose so many arms,in iraq.