WASHINGTON (AP) — As much as $60 billion in U.S. funds has been lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade through lax oversight of contractors, poor planning and corruption, an independent panel investigating U.S. wartime spending estimates.
In its final report to Congress, the Commission on Wartime Contracting said the figure could grow as U.S. support for reconstruction projects and programs wanes, leaving both countries to bear the long-term costs of sustaining the schools, medical clinics, barracks, roads and power plants already built with American tax dollars.
Much of the waste and fraud could have been avoided with better planning and more aggressive oversight, the commission said. To avoid repeating the mistakes in Iraq and Afghanistan, government agencies should overhaul the way they award and manage contracts in war zones, the commission recommended.
We’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 — the day Bush and Cheney allowed Osama Bin Laden to defeat our country. Our federal debt was right around $6 trillion on September 11, 2001. Thanks in part to the two wars, our debt is now at about $14.5 trillion.
Both Bush Sr. and Jr. have strong business ties to the Bin Laden family and in fact, George H.W. Bush had breakfast with Osama’s brother on the morning of the attack. Could you imagine if Obama had a connection to Bin Laden? There’d be a lynch mob after him! But Bush is given a free pass. Bush and Cheney refused to answer questions under oath about the attack. Gee… I wonder why.
