Supposed State Dept. Corruption

[The Wild Rover]

From the AP Newswire...---...
"A congressional committee has launched an investigation into the State Department's inspector general, alleging that he blocked fraud investigations, including potential security lapses at the newly built U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Also under scrutiny is whether a major security firm was "illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq," according to a letter to Inspector General Howard J. Krongard that was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.

The investigation involves allegations that "your strong affinity with State Department leadership and your partisan political ties have led you to halt investigations, censor reports, and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies," Krongard was told.

Based on allegations made by a number of current and former senior investigators who worked for Krongard, the letter from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee also questioned whether he adequately investigated illegal labor trafficking allegations involving the Kuwaiti company that was building the Baghdad embassy.

Krongard, in testimony before the committee in July, dismissed allegations that foreign workers were mistreated in building the new complex in Baghdad. But he acknowledged that some recruiters may have misled foreign workers about pay expectations and living conditions."


All I have to say, is you get what you pay for. Crony-ism.:wtf

[HeadRat]

Wow

[mexfishguide]

What a hell of a deal, the moneys gone, the buildings are in shit shape, the contractor is a very wealthy man.:wtf

Solution, hire a decent american contractor, with decent american craft people and fix the dam thing. Stop payment to the existing joke of a contractor and put it towards the new firm.

Dam know it all politicians in dc, what a joke, we the tax payors are the folks suffering over it.:fauches:

Regardless of what we are told no one is in charge in Bagdad, every one wants to have their own little kingdom, no one works together, because no one is charge of any thing, typical gov. project.

The security contractor should be banned from all gov. work!!

Thanks Rover for posting this.

Take Care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[TheJester]

This is gearing up to be a VERY interesting year. Washington Post calling out the contractors that did piss poor construction on the Embassies, siting that the "General" is an incompitant leader of OBO and now this.

I'm grabbing my popcorn :popcorn: and sitting back to watch the show. This could very well be what everyone that works overseas has been waiting for, CHANGE.

[guitartexan]

I agree. With the agressive schedule of construction, and with these contractors trying to use cheap local or TCN labor, 08 -10 is shaping up to possibly be very good for AMERICAN workers with JOURNEYMAN experience.
I too will be watching closely.

[mexfishguide]

I notice BLACKWATER security has been told to leave Iraq, with their 1000+ guards.:wtf

Take Care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[tavi]

it seems like things will be heating up for the 08 elections and this probably be on the menu.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/19/america/NA-GEN-US-State-Department-Fraud-Probe.php?page=2

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/18/america/inspect.php

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1482

[The Wild Rover]

From your posted links...wow...
"One consistent element in these allegations is that you believe your foremost mission is to support the Bush administration, especially with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than act as an independent and objective check on waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of U.S. taxpayers,":wtf

What is happening to this country. What a pack of liars and thieves we have representing the posts of leadership, in ALL sections of our Government. There are people more concerned and worried about the cheating in the NFL, that other NFL gangster overpaid idiot with the fighting dogs, and that other idiot OJ, than about what is going on in our leadership? What a shame. :AR15

[mexfishguide]

This helps to confirm my theory, that no one is in charge of Iraq!!!!!!!:wtf

Hell, now I wonder if anyone is in charge of our USA government, seems as tho ever son of a b--- we elect, forgets his people the first day office.
And to think people continue to elect guys that have one foot in the grave and do not even show up to vote. Guys we better get our head out of sand vote for America, we are loosing sight of what our fore fathers were giving us, the finist in the world to live. We need to take better care of our gift, the good ol usa.:nono:

Screw OJ, the dog fighter and the rest of the overpaid, under worked, ass holes, bitter? Yes I am. :blahslap

We have people that can for example take a overseas US Embassy build it right and make money from it, all our big time operators get confused and all they see is windfall profits, then the job goes to shit.... Just because I and others will not go run a project for minumum wages, we are considered not good team players. All team player means is you go do the grunt work for peanuts, then I blame you for all mistakes and fire you, that way I get your and my bonus.

You think I get hot on site, you should check me in the board room, I do not cut any of them any slack, tell me the truth are I will badger you :blahslap continuously,I do burn a few bridges that way, but I am careful which ones.


Take Care
Mexfishguide:cheers

[guitartexan]

Do you think, maybe idea was to let some of the everyday Iraqis get their hands on some of the money, and then hopefully spark an across the board desire for a democracy? I am just theorizing. Then, when left to their own devices ( the companies, Iraqis,others, in Iraq) do what they always do when there is not enough accountability. Line their pockets with money that should go to the workers.

LIKE i SAID, JUST THEORIZING, and not fight starti'n. Just trying to get a better understanding of what is going wrong than the usual " We elect them and then they ignore us" stuff. Yes, it does make me very angry, and I CAN see that change is coming. I wonder if EVERY ONE of us on this site, over the course of the next few months, emailed every house member and senator and said the same thing about whats wrong with the OBO construction practices. Would that help our position?

How aBOUT SOME FEED BACK, i KNOW NO ONE HERE IS SHY!

[mexfishguide]

In the last few weeks, I have mailled, every one from the pres. down to state level, including OBO, dos, dol, etc.:rockwoot:

Have not got anywhere yet, of course 1 guy does not carry much weight some of you other folks step in.

Take Care
Mexfishguide:cheers