Tractor-trailers, tank recovery vehicles, crates of machine guns and rocket propelled grenades are just a sample of more than 1 billion dollars unaccounted for military equipment and services to Iraqi security forces, according to a the new report released today by the Pentagon's Inspector General. Accounts of the Inspector General reviewed the equipment contracts totaling $ 643 million, but could only find an audit trail for $ 83 million.
The report describes in detail a huge failure of public procurement revealing little accountability for the billions of dollars spent for the purchase of military equipment to Iraqi security forces. For example, according to the report, the military could not account 12712 out of 13508 weapons, including pistols, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and machine guns.
The report comes on the same day that the military procurement officials will be faced with difficult issues of the Armed Services Committee of the Senate with regard to their procurement policies. An official, Claude Bolton, assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, has already announced his resignation in the wake of strong criticism about the Army contracts and expand investigations of fraud. His resignation took effect on January 2, 2008.
The report describes in detail a huge failure of public procurement revealing little accountability for the billions of dollars spent for the purchase of military equipment to Iraqi security forces. For example, according to the report, the military could not account 12712 out of 13508 weapons, including pistols, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and machine guns.
The report comes on the same day that the military procurement officials will be faced with difficult issues of the Armed Services Committee of the Senate with regard to their procurement policies. An official, Claude Bolton, assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, has already announced his resignation in the wake of strong criticism about the Army contracts and expand investigations of fraud. His resignation took effect on January 2, 2008.
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