U.S. trucking funds end up in Taliban hands

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/u-trucking-funds-end-taliban-hands-223542993.html

By Phil Stewart | Reuters – 20 hrs ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cash from part of a $2.16 billion U.S. transportation contract in Afghanistan has ended up in the hands of Taliban insurgents, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The disclosure is another example of the persistent difficulty the U.S. military has in keeping its massive war funding from reaching the insurgents it is fighting in the unpopular, decade-old Afghan war.

The United States is spending more than $6 billion a month in the conflict.

Pentagon officials have repeatedly warned of the need to tighten controls on U.S. contracts and last year announced the creation of a task force to crack down on misuse of funds by contractors, some of whom pay Taliban protection money.

Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said the discovery of the siphoning of funds from the trucking contract was part of that previously announced effort. He said the U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees the Afghan war, aimed to sign a new trucking contract in September.

"Central Command's contracting command is working on a new Afghan trucking contract to ensure greater transparency into subcontractors," Lapan told reporters.

The details from the internal study by NATO forces in Afghanistan were first reported by the Washington Post.

The news came just days after Reuters reported on a study being completed by a congressional commission showing that some $34 billion in U.S. taxpayer dollars have been wasted on contracts with the private sector in the wars in Afghanistan in Iraq.

[slim 1,530]

What's the problem? At least we're paying people with jobs over there. Hell, we pay people to do nothing here.

[웃 910]

Mission in the Middle East is complete. Now let's take on Africa!!!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

What's the problem? At least we're paying people with jobs over there. Hell, we pay people to do nothing here.

Feel free to pay the $6 billion a month out of your pocket.

[slim 1,530]

Feel free to pay the $6 billion a month out of your pocket.

I am. So are you.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I am. So are you.

No, you're not. Nor is any of us. It's all racked up nicely on the credit card - it's part of that $14 trilion debt. Nobody here has actually paid a dime for any of this yet. Not a penny of revenue was raised for these wars and we sure didn't have a surplus to draw the funding from. Either way, it's time to get the hell out of there.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[slim 1,530]

When Microsoft runs the country, it'll be OK. We'll be able to trade Office licenses for butter and bread.

[dalegg 143]

Feel free to pay the $6 billion a month out of your pocket.

$6 billion? It's got to be more than that. People keep saying we could save "trillions" if we leave. Maybe they mean over the next 20 years.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

$6 billion? It's got to be more than that. People keep saying we could save "trillions" if we leave. Maybe they mean over the next 20 years.

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=cost+of+iraq+and+afghanistan+wars&pbx=1&oq=cost+of+iraq&aq=1&aqi=g5&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=2329l8802l0l12019l16l14l2l0l0l0l2010l10447l5-1.4.2.1.1l9&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=cae8a5964b14564c&biw=1440&bih=775

[Karee 4,191]

When Microsoft runs the country, it'll be OK. We'll be able to trade Office licenses for butter and bread.

Not sure what you mean there. If you consider Microsoft possibly the most evil company ever, I agree. They are right up there with Standard Oil. Maybe Billl Gates is giving most of it away over guilt. If you think they somehow did some good... doubt it.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Not sure what you mean there. If you consider Microsoft possibly the most evil company ever, I agree. They are right up there with Standard Oil. Maybe Billl Gates is giving most of it away over guilt. If you think they somehow did some good... doubt it.

What did MS do wrong? Bill Gates gives more money to foundations that help the needy than anyone else on this planet. What should he do, and what has he done wrong ?