Iraq: State Of Corruption

Steve Kroft Reports On Widespread Corruption In Iraq's Government

(CBS)  According to James Mattil, Radhi's former advisor at the State Department, the memo prohibited investigations of current or former high level Iraqi officials without the permission of the prime minister himself.

"It basically put a stop to any anti-corruption activities within the Iraqi government. And it came directly from the prime minister's office," Mattil said.

"So the only way the prime minister could be investigated for corruption would be if he signed off on his own investigation?" Kroft asked.

"Correct," Mattil said.

"So he'd have to be corrupt and stupid?" Kroft asked.

"Yes," Mattil replied.

Mattil told Kroft he had seen the memo and shared the information with his colleagues at the State Department immediately.

Asked what the reaction was when he showed it to them, Mattil said, "None, that I am aware of."

But it did get some reaction in the U.S. Congress when Radhi, seeking asylum in the United States, was called to testify before the House Oversight Committee.

Chairman Henry Waxman grilled Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about Radhi's allegations.

"Well, this is a big deal. This is the prime minister of the country," Waxman said.

"I agree with you; it’s a big deal," Secretary Rice replied.

"It’s his government that we are propping up with the lives of our soldiers and the billions of dollars of our taxpayers' money," Waxman said. "Prime Minister Maliki has issued an order saying that he may not be investigated, nor may his minister be investigated for corruption, which means they are immunized from the investigation. Are you aware of that order? And does it trouble you that such an order has been issued?"

"Well Mr. Chairman, I will have to get back to you. I don’t know precisely what you are referring to," Rice said.

Six months later, Waxman's staff was still waiting for an answer. But a State Department official and a representative of the Iraqi government told 60 Minutes corruption is not condoned and fighting it remains a top priority.

After Radhi left Iraq, the prime minister went on TV and accused him of corruption.

"Did you bring a lot of money with you when you came from Iraq?" Kroft asked.

"Nothing but my last salary," Radhi replied.

Asked how he was getting by, Radhi said, "Actually with the help of American friends."

Until Radhi's asylum application is approved, he's unable to work. These days, he is getting most of his news on Iraq from television. The Maliki government said 2008 would be the year of fighting corruption.

"You don't think this is gonna be the year of fighting corruption?" Kroft asked.

"I think that this year will be more corrupt," Radhi predicted.

[repeacer]

Why is it suddenly so difficult to see the original interview in full length??

[pattipace7]

After many decades of also fighting this same war at home in the US by way of the war on illegal drugs, it would be safer, fast and much cheaper to end this war by legalizing the drugs. The worst resistance would come from the drug cartels and the terrorist networks in the Middle-East. Without the illegal drug industry funding the terrorists, this global war on terror would soon end. At the same time for just a few more years (not decades) the United States will still have to continue clearing up the mess by the once illegal drugs, the same way as usual; with tax-payer funded drug rehabs, including heroine or methadone babies and their medical costs etc. Our society needs to get more faith in itself, because in the Middle-East where it is much easier to get heroin than it is to get clean drinking water, they are not a society of drug addicts.

This would also cut off the funded government corruption in the Middle East, Mexico and the United States. In time this will also solve many other problems in our economy especially the cost and availability of health care. The repercussions this would help to create for a few years (not decades) is one of the best examples of why our forefathers emphasized so strongly on the necessity of separation between the church and state.

[eaglemo1]

This begs the question of how much corruption there is
when Ms. Rice has no idea of corrution within the government, that was virtually put into place by her boss. And are Petraeus and Crocker somehow overlooking this corruption? Is this one of the reasons there is no plan for troop pull-out? In one news story recently there were allegations that Petraues was contacting Oil companies regarding oil
contracts on the field 40 miles from Basra. Is this on the orders of the "Commander and Chief"?
Seems Congress neeeds to really start some investigations!

[twojohnny]

Here''s a good story...wonder how much of those "lost" American dollars went into Chalabi''s pockets? Did he, in fact, act as an agent for "redistribution" of those dollars? And if so, who received the "redistribution"?

[nanging3]

It is about time we start taking care of America and Americans.
Charity begins at home.
We have our own hungry and homeless, jobless.
We need to close all our borders and only buy American made goods.

[bm6005]

Got to love CBS. The pictures are from the Afghan Natioanal Army not the Iraqi National Army.
Posted by hillaryin012

And this changes the facts of corruption how???

[nanging3]

Obama says that rather than advising him on strategy, Wright helps keep his
priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated.

%u201CWhat I value most about Pastor Wright is his day-to-day political
advice,%u201D
Obama said. %u201CHe%u2019s much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am
speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I%u2019m not
losing
myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that%u2019s involved in national
politics.%u201D

I suggest that if you have not looked at http://www.savagepolitics.com you
should do so when you have some time to read it. Here is just a small part of
one of their stories:

{JERUSALEM - Sen. Barack Obama%u2019s Chicago church reprinted a manifesto by Hamas
that defended terrorism as legitimate resistance, refused to recognize the right
of Israel to exist and compared the terror group%u2019s official charter - which
calls for the murder of Jews - to America%u2019s Declaration of Independence.

The Hamas piece was published on the %u201CPastor%u2019s Page%u201D of the Trinity United
Church of Christ newsletter reserved for Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.

The revelation follows a recent WND article quoting Israeli security officials
who expressed %u201Cconcern%u201D about Robert Malley, an adviser to Obama who has
advocated negotiations with Hamas and providing international assistance to the
terrorist group.

[nanging3]

Trip Rev.Wright (just sound bites) took with Farrahkan:

While visiting that mercurial miscreant Libyan strongman Col. Muammar Qaddafi,
Farrakhan struck a deal which secured millions of dollars from Libya to lobby
for the secession of part of the United States. The goal is the formation of a
separate black nation on the North American Continent replete with a 500,000 man
army and nuclear weapons.

[bm6005]

Interesting that CBS pointed out a connection to the U.S. elections here. Obama''''s buddy Rezko is here......
Posted by TheGateway1

What partisan c rap!! If the guy did something crooked prosecute him. Why do you Bozo''s still think that independents care what party a crook belongs to? I don''t give a rat''s as s what their political philosophy is. If they''ve done something illegal hand "em!!!

[nanging3]

They need to pay the US for our military services. And provide free gas for their vehicles. Iraq needs to foot some of the cost. They continue to sell oil for over $100 a barrell, while we protect their oil fields for free.
US is going broke while the Arab countries get richer off our blood.

[bm6005]

This being my first full year of retirement my plan is to refuse paying taxes. My pitiful sum will certainly be laughable but when my gov''t spends money not in my interest I''ll withold those dollars. Maybe some of you would like to join me in this tax protest. I''m planning on calling it "No taxation without representation" and I don''t know of ANYONE in gov''t representing my priorities!! Hang''em all!!!

[bestillandno]

The U.S. is getting something in return for its investment in Israel, the only problem is no one seems to be able to define it to anyones satisfaction!

Posted by tbweb at 01:00 PM : Apr 14, 2008



From a Christian stand-point, it should be quite obvious, but from a governmental stand-point, I don''t know.

[bestillandno]

Give it a year, there''''ll bee Freakvanpublican suicide bombers. Go watch Jesus Camp.....

Posted by FloydZepp at 12:53 PM : Apr 14, 20


I doubt it.

[tbweb]

Israel is the 51st state. Well, as far as their annual welfare payment is concerned anyway.

Posted by hungry1968 at 12:35 PM : Apr 14, 2008
--------

No kidding. a $2 billion a year minimum, RINO social program for the Israelis using American Tax Dollars.

Posted by FloydZepp at 12:54 PM : Apr 14, 2008,,,

The U.S. is getting something in return for its investment in Israel, the only problem is no one seems to be able to define it to anyones satisfaction!

[oscarez]

"They hate us,"

Posted by hungry1968 at 12:34 PM : Apr 14, 2008

I''ll bet they don''t hate all the dollars borrowed from China we give them!!!

[lochlan-2009]

"According to U.S. and Iraqi officials, bribery and outright theft are flourishing in virtually every Iraqi ministry, and some of those ill-gotten gains are being used to kill American troops."

Has Haliburton fixed those meters yet, or are they still pumping who knows how much oil into the black market?

American Tax dollars paying them to steal everything they possibly can in Iraq.

[bestillandno]

Just like the christians in America.

Posted by hungry1968 at 12:34 PM : Apr 14, 2008


Not quite.

[hungry1968]

I believe that, (fedupwithit1) is right.An American Democracy is not going to work in that part of the world,unless we put an American flag in the ground ,and take it over as the 51st state.I won''''t move my family over there even if it becomes like the Virgin Islands.Those extremist will never quit until all of us(AMERICANS)are dead,or under shiri law.

Posted by Swwils at 10:57 AM : Apr 14, 2008





Israel is the 51st state. Well, as far as their annual welfare payment is concerned anyway.

[hungry1968]

All im saying is that maybe, just maybe an American style democracy is not going to work over there. These ppl need to be ruled with an iron hand. Maybe a more benevolent iron hand than Saddam Hussain''''s but an iron hand never the less.

Posted by fedupwithit1 at 10:37 AM : Apr 14, 2008






I''ve been saying the same thing for a couple of years. They view us - not just the military, but the whole country - as "evil occupiers", NOT LIBERATORS.

They hate us, they resent us, they want us to leave, they hate our freedoms and liberties, our equal rights provisions, and most of all they hate our form of government. They don''t want a democracy, they want a supreme religious ruler. Just like the christians in America.

[hungry1968]

Make no mistake about it - it was HAND PICKED neo cons that went into Iraq and "built" the government in their ideal image.

It''s no surprise that the corruption runs rampant in their neo con inspired government, in much the same way that it runs through our neo con hijacked government.

Posted by hungry1968 at 09:18 AM : Apr 14, 2008