The War. The Money

[noze]

OK 12 billion gone and no one knows where. I guest a good excuse would be oh yea the money was in a car or hummer without armor protection and it got blode up by a road side bomb. Then someone gets very rich before they finally say, war over. What happened to the computer tranfer over the air waves. Would that leave to much of a paper trail to account for where the money is being used. Why do they think that they need to send billons of dollors in CASH on pallets to war. Who is the brains behind this one. Does our Government have computers to make such a transaction, or this is the way we do things. I know this is war, and we need amunitions to fight with but you can not fight with paper. Leave the money trail on the paper and everyone knows where the money is being spent. Just my way of thinking.

[Azalea]

The money got sent to various locations all over Iraq with no paper trail, not blown up. Each shrink-wrapped cash "brick" contained $400,000. It was not money that belonged to the U.S., it was money that belonged to Iraq. It was the proceeds from selling Iraqi oil, which the U.S. had been holding "until the Iraqis needed it."

The person directly responsible is Paul Bremmer. He claims that Iraq's infrastructure was so destroyed that the only way to get the money there was by sending cash (no reliable computer systems). Bremmer and his chief aide are both on the record more than once saying they knew the cash was disappearing, but it didn't matter since it didn't belong to the U.S.

Pretty scummy.

[noze]

Like I said there is always going to be an excuse. The people of the world have to listen to what they say and believe them as though they are (sorry my Lord) god. It is hard to believe that there is no computer runing. Blaaaaaa! I am not insulting you this is my way of seeing our leaders in action. They are corrupt to the Core. The ones stealing this money could care less about winning a war. The money is to good.

[Big Joe]

I know we're talking about money here, but I had to throw in some issues with the Iraq War.

It pisses me off that all this money is simply wasted in Iraq when New Orleans can't be rebuilt. Congress would simply OK everything Bush requested with no oversight. Meanwhile, educational programs are underfunded, healthcare costs are going through the roof, and roads are falling apart.

I also do not like the idea of the US borrowing the money for this war. Osama and Al Qaeda are laughing their tales off about how everything has gone since Sept. 11. The US military is stretched thin and more Americans have died in Iraq than on Sept. 11. These Americans died at the hands of not just Al Qaeda, but Iraqis! But as the misguided say, "It's better to fight them over there than over here!" I say the exact opposite...let's fight them here in the US! They will be on OUR turf and we can better smoke them out.

Anyway, I will be voting for John McCain to be president in 2008. He is the only one of the candidates so far who has military experience, which I think should be a prerequisite to run for president. Actually, I think every person man should be obligated to join the military for two years and serve their country.

Just my opinions.

[SeleR]

I too am bothered that we can find money to ship to a country that we just blew up, but cannot find money to protect our coastline, as well as New Orleans. And you just know Iran is next. If we are shipping "bricks" of money all over Iraq, why would anyone be surprised that some disappear. Where is the accountability ? Shouldn't we be selling some Iraqi oil to recover cost of our invasion, to pay the dead soldiers families ?

I am not sold on the fact that the federal government is in fact responsible to repair damages after an act on nature occurs, although I do concede that the levees of New Orleans were a federal responsibility, and the failure of said levees was the cause of most damage.

I also am bothered by the fact that the Dutch can rectify our coastal problem for $10 billion or so, but our Corps of Engineers (yes, the same responsible for levee maintenance) says the cost is $150 billion. A prudent person would hire the Dutch. Lost in the irony is that a Tulane engineering graduate who designed the pumping system of New Orleans also went to the Netherlands and taught the Dutch how to set up pumping stations.

[noze]

Great respond. The Corps or Engineers has never been held accountable for it's actions. We need to make sure that our money is spent wisely, and these people held accountable for their stupid way of protecting us. The way they look at it if it fails , well (that is job security) we will still get to fix it. If someone builds me a house and it falls apart, surely I will hold them accountable, but I will make sure that I will never hire that person again. The People around me will surely know, not hire them. These people are in my book have murdered many and never been held for their actions. Where is the Law when it comes to THE CORPS. Lets pass a new Law to hold these people accountable (the ones that are doing the work) and maybe will have the levees we need. Remember it is Job securty for these people. They do not care who losses just so they win. It is always about the money. Ever go to one of their offices to see how many dead heads are sitting doing nothing? Your money at work. 150 verses 10 billion, great respond.

[noze]

The leaders in control can not fix New Orleans so get the hell out of Irac! Spend our tax money on our lives not people who kill each other for a living. This is just a easy way to steal tax dollors.

[noze]

Lets take a few of our prisoners out of prison system, which is costing tax payers each year millions of good money and send these heros to IRAC. Maybe crime might slow down, who knows we might win this crazy war.