Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Maybe we can have some oversight now that Billions have enriched corruptive cronies, Let's see some backbone, tie it to Bush's $46 Billion demand!


First I have to say, I was very peeved yesterday when Bush ignored California burning and just demanded another 46 Billion for his wars this year. I won't say I'm pleased because as bad as it is he did not have a choice now but he pledged Federal help and declared a state of emergency. I am very concerned still because with more than 10,000 sheltering in Qualcomm Stadium and pledges of help I am afraid for shades of Katrina. Anyway like you I am monitoring that situation but have moved back to Bush's new order wars and more specifically the grotesque amount of money spent while insistence of no oversight which is ludicrous. Now is the time to grow some backbone and put it too an end period.


Yesterday I discussed California burning primarily because I was disgusted that Bush did not mention it but only demanded 46 Billion more from Congress to fight his wars this year and he wants it now no strings attached. BS, now is the time to attach one string that has been purposely left unattached. Demand oversight or no money. He can't refuse!
Most of the $45.9 billion request is for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the expected cost of those conflicts to more than $192 billion for the budget year that began this month. The administration has already sought $147 billion for 2008. Most of that money goes to Iraq, which is currently costing the Pentagon an estimated $2 billion a week. Bush said the money will cover basic operating expenses, plus additional armored vehicles and countermeasures designed to protect U.S. troops from roadside bombs but we shall see. We can make sure it is not stolen as usual.


The president also called on Congress to finish the appropriations bills that fund the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs before lawmakers' holiday recess, set to begin in mid-November. The request is bound to kick off another debate on Capitol Hill over the course of the Iraq war. Bush's last supplemental spending request led to a showdown with the Democratic leaders of Congress, who pushed for a withdrawal of American combat troops in 2008 -- a demand dropped after the president vetoed the measure. Unless Congress is part of Bush's new order plan they better grow some backbone!
Anyway Minutes after Bush spoke, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, warned the president not to expect Congress to "rubber-stamp" the latest request. "In the coming weeks, we will hold it up to the light of day and fight for the change of strategy and redeployment of troops that is long overdue," Reid said. He said the new request means the overall cost of the widely unpopular war now approaches $650 billion since the March 2003 invasion that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Read more of Bush's demands
Bush did tie it to Billions in much needed armored vehicles and more than a Billion for spending on military health care so it should be okayed but not without an up to now necessary and ignored necessity
. We all know Billions have been stolen by unethical and corruptive contractors and others but as usual I wanted to research this before I let this go. This morning I found that The U.S. State Department is unable to account for most of $1.2 billion in funding that it gave to DynCorp International to train Iraqi police, a government report said Tuesday. The Department of State's Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) "did not have the information needed to identify what DynCorp provided under the contract or how funds were spent," the report said.
This blows me away $1.2 Billion? This is only one company and they don't even know what they spent it on? Another great sinner is Bechtel. Tuesday's report is the second in a series of financial reviews ordered by Congress and carried out by SIGIR looking into large Iraqi Relief and Reconstruction Fund projects. The first report, issued three months ago, criticized officials with the U.S. Agency for International Development for lack of oversight of their contract with Bechtel. Bechtel is a privately held, U.S. conglomerate of engineering, construction, and project management companies.
The idiocy in this report is astounding pleaseRead on
Then we hear more underhanded crap from our great American defenders at Blackwater-- A congressional committee investigating the performance of Blackwater USA questioned whether the private security firm may have evaded paying millions of dollars in taxes.
By classifying workers in Iraq as "independent contractors" rather than employees, Blackwater appears to have engaged in an "illegal tax scheme" that avoided an estimated $31 million in employment-related taxes in the last year of its contract alone, said Rep. Henry Waxman on Monday. Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, also accused the North Carolina-based company of preventing a guard who discovered the practice "from contacting members of Congress or law enforcement officials."


"It is deplorable that a company that depends on federal tax dollars for over 90 percent of its business would even contemplate forbidding an employee to report corporate wrongdoing to Congress and federal law enforcement officials," the California Democrat wrote in a letter to Blackwater founder and CEO Erik Prince. more lies
Just one more benefit of working for Bush and more proof of why the insistence of no oversight. Stealing our money with Bush's blessings. I decided to look at the top 20 corruptors just in Iraq. Halibrton, Parsons, Custer Battles, etc with min boggling corruption to the tune of Billions. Please take a moment to Look at these horrific Boondoggles
Anyway as is becoming standard there are so many examples and stories of the corruption in Iraq, a million and a half, I decided to add the link and you can Look at them if you want
Like everything else with this idiot Bush and his corruptive benefactors have enjoyed their windfall long enough. Now comes the facade of concern. After more than four years and Billions in illicit gains at our expense A panel recommended to the State Department that the U.S. create a "central command center" to improve coordination among agencies using private security contractors in war zones, senior State Department officials and others familiar with the review told CNN Monday.
The panel also recommended a thorough examination of the rules of engagement, especially when using deadly force, the sources said. Led by Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Kennedy, the panel briefed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday on its recommendations. Other members include retired Gen. George Joulwan, Ambassador Stapleton Roy and Ambassador Eric Boswell. Rice said the recommendations "point a very good way forward, and I intend to act on them expeditiously." Those familiar with the review said members found a lack of coordination and communication between U.S. diplomats and military officials and little oversight over private security contractors. just more belated concern

Again I say to Congress, demand oversight or refuse the 46 Billion, there is no way even the idiot could get away with saying no! Like everything else that has occurred on Bush's watch he has had his corruptive way and corruptive gains now once again he will put forth a facade of concern. He will act like he cares so he can use it and gain politically. This monkeys obvious underhanded crap is sickening. I refuse to believe he continues to abuse and misuse everything in his path and he just keeps getting away with it. we aren't this stupid! What the hell is wrong with our so called leaders? Are they all hoping to benefit from the crap Bush is pulling and about to dwarf?
James Joiner
Gardner Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Dennis Thorp 315/735/2330

Repeated and extended deployments to war zones have driven a rise in post-traumatic stress among troops. It may be good to support your troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it is much better to demand accountability from those responsible for the lack of their care.

DVA worked with the Pentagon to misclassify post-traumatic stress disorder claims as pre-existing personality disorders. The cost to veterans, their families and the nation will be incalculable, it says, unless systematic and drastic measures are instituted immediately.
I think, the DVA really couldn’t care less about the concerns or the plight of these veterans. They will ask that more studies be done. The VA human research foundations, and VA enterprise centers see the veterans as cash cows for financial grants, etc.

I keep hearing that this is the 21st century. Can't Congress please make the VA join it, make all the claims processed digital?

Every day a solder gets killed in the fight for freedom and they don’t even know it. Just like their brothers and sisters before them, who came home and died, so very young. Could it be Gulf War illness or depleted uranium?

Post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) can be a serious aftermath of a catastrophic event such as war. It can manifest itself in a number of ways, from depression to violent thoughts and actions of violence to suicide. The incidence of PTSD appears to be high among combat veterans and continues to rise.

PTSD can be extremely disruptive to a person’s physical and mental well-being, family life, social relationships and employment status. Yet, for a variety of reasons, those suffering from PTSD have remained undiagnosed or insufficiently treated. Violent or intrusive thoughts may or may not be expressed, but when they manifest, they can and should be taken serious. Ignored or untreated, these thoughts and actions can lead to more serious issues.

This is an important indicator of the illness and it is imperative that veterans have the opportunity and the forum to communicate these thoughts freely in the right forum as they are a major symptom of PTSD If you find yourself struggling with anger issues directed at another person such as a friend or loved one or someone who is ignorant or indifferent about the illness — and there are many — fight your impulse to express and react to your rage. Instead, seek the help of a skilled professional.

There are many skilled workers in the area and they at the very least provide some help and comfort until we can get the attention of the Veterans
Administration, and some elected officials who have shamefully denied these benefits because they had turned an blind eye. I know that most of our elected officials in this area are not veterans and they feel that this is a federal issue. If this is true, then why are we wasteing our taxpayer dollars for county and state veteran reps.

I hope that we can get help from our elected officials on all levels of county ,state,and federal goverment officials and do the job we elected them to do and, demand faster claim determination for our veterans. Keep these wonderful young men and woman away from our court system and help them to have a brighter future in our communities.

Dennis Thorp is a native of Frankfort and served as a U.S. Army medic during the Vietnam War. He is co-founder of Agent Orange Victims International.

sumo said...

When I heard his speech, other than a passing mention of armor for the troops...I knew the money was going to the contractors. I think he's got a piece of that action as well as Cheney.

jmsjoin said...

Doctho
I just got this and i have to run out to the Dentist. A couple of my sons are lifers and the one that just got back from combat in Afghanistan with special Forces and will be going to Iraq sometime next year concerns me because he is very hard. PTSD is a big concern to me. Second to IED's especially since he is EOD. I want to talk to you but must run now. Stay in touch!

jmsjoin said...

Sumo I am so disgusted with these underhanded, arrogant, deceitful idiots. How much more? Can we survive them? So many questions!