H
Harry Hope
Guest
Almost a year ago, the Associated Press reported the worrying news
that the U.S. had lost thousands of weapons in Iraq:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-10-29-missing-weapons_x.htm
Thousands of weapons the United States has provided Iraqi security
forces cannot be accounted for and spare parts and repair manuals are
unavailable for many others, a new report to Congress says.
(snip)
The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons - almost 4% of the
semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled
grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since
the end of 2003.
Well you'll never guess who was in charge of distributing those
weapons.
That's right - it was General Love Me Love Me Say That You Love Me
Petraeus.
Here he is bragging about it in a Washington Post op-ed back in 2004:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49283-2004Sep25.html
Outfitting hundreds of thousands of new Iraqi security forces is
difficult and complex, and many of the units are not yet fully
equipped.
But equipment has begun flowing.
Since July 1, for example, more than 39,000 weapons and 22 million
rounds of ammunition have been delivered to Iraqi forces, in addition
to 42,000 sets of body armor, 4,400 vehicles, 16,000 radios and more
than 235,000 uniforms.
And where's all that gear now?
According to a report by the Associated Press last week:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927...apons_probe;_ylt=AmCAJA89iL5tkVajUS9vpYOs0NUE
The weapons and countless pieces of other gear, paid for with tens of
millions of U.S. tax dollars, were indeed flowing - but as it turns
out, not always to the right places or into the right hands.
In the rush to arm Iraqi forces against a violent insurgency, U.S.
military officials did not keep good records.
About 190,000 weapons weren't fully accounted for, according to one
audit.
The accounting failures are at the heart of a broad inquiry by the
Pentagon's inspector general, sharp questions from Republicans and
Democrats in Congress, and complaints from officials in Turkey who
claim that pistols used in violent crimes in their country came from
U.S.-funded stocks.
Well done sir.
If you want some context on Gen. Petraeus's recent appearance before
Congress go back and read that 2004 op-ed again, where you can learn
all about the "tangible progress," "progress," "optimism," "progress,"
and, "considerable progress" that was going on.
Yes, back in 2004 we were on the right track in Iraq - and three years
later, we still are!
Fantastic.
Oh - except for the fact that despite Petraeus's rosy testimony, this
news item popped up last week:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...aq30sep30,0,7324298.story?coll=la-home-center
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, acknowledged
today that violence had increased since Sunni Arab militants declared
an offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
But it's okay - that was just a "Ramadan surge."
Go figure.
By EarlG
Democratic Underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
Harry
that the U.S. had lost thousands of weapons in Iraq:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-10-29-missing-weapons_x.htm
Thousands of weapons the United States has provided Iraqi security
forces cannot be accounted for and spare parts and repair manuals are
unavailable for many others, a new report to Congress says.
(snip)
The Pentagon cannot account for 14,030 weapons - almost 4% of the
semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled
grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since
the end of 2003.
Well you'll never guess who was in charge of distributing those
weapons.
That's right - it was General Love Me Love Me Say That You Love Me
Petraeus.
Here he is bragging about it in a Washington Post op-ed back in 2004:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49283-2004Sep25.html
Outfitting hundreds of thousands of new Iraqi security forces is
difficult and complex, and many of the units are not yet fully
equipped.
But equipment has begun flowing.
Since July 1, for example, more than 39,000 weapons and 22 million
rounds of ammunition have been delivered to Iraqi forces, in addition
to 42,000 sets of body armor, 4,400 vehicles, 16,000 radios and more
than 235,000 uniforms.
And where's all that gear now?
According to a report by the Associated Press last week:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927...apons_probe;_ylt=AmCAJA89iL5tkVajUS9vpYOs0NUE
The weapons and countless pieces of other gear, paid for with tens of
millions of U.S. tax dollars, were indeed flowing - but as it turns
out, not always to the right places or into the right hands.
In the rush to arm Iraqi forces against a violent insurgency, U.S.
military officials did not keep good records.
About 190,000 weapons weren't fully accounted for, according to one
audit.
The accounting failures are at the heart of a broad inquiry by the
Pentagon's inspector general, sharp questions from Republicans and
Democrats in Congress, and complaints from officials in Turkey who
claim that pistols used in violent crimes in their country came from
U.S.-funded stocks.
Well done sir.
If you want some context on Gen. Petraeus's recent appearance before
Congress go back and read that 2004 op-ed again, where you can learn
all about the "tangible progress," "progress," "optimism," "progress,"
and, "considerable progress" that was going on.
Yes, back in 2004 we were on the right track in Iraq - and three years
later, we still are!
Fantastic.
Oh - except for the fact that despite Petraeus's rosy testimony, this
news item popped up last week:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...aq30sep30,0,7324298.story?coll=la-home-center
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, acknowledged
today that violence had increased since Sunni Arab militants declared
an offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
But it's okay - that was just a "Ramadan surge."
Go figure.
By EarlG
Democratic Underground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
Harry
