Revealed: Cost Of U.S. Contractors In Iraq Has Soared To $4 Billion

New York Times:

Over the past four years, the amount of money the State Department pays to private security and law enforcement contractors has soared to nearly $4 billion a year from $1 billion, administration officials said Tuesday, but they said that the department had added few new officials to oversee the contracts.

It was the first time that the administration had outlined the ballooning scope of the contracts, and it provided a new indication of how the State Department's efforts to monitor private companies had not kept pace. Auditors and outside exerts say the results have been vast cost overruns, poor contract performance and, in some cases, violence that has so far gone unpunished.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[hootie1fan]

03:47 PM on 10/24/2007

What happened to the conservative mantra: private enterprise can ALWAYS do it better, cheaper and more efficiently than the public sector?

[demsrnuts]

02:07 PM on 10/24/2007

Senator Clinton, who is using images from ground zero in a new television ad for her presidential campaign, sharply criticized President Bush when he put pictures from the World Trade Center site in his campaign advertising.

"The President has said in the past that he would do nothing that would politicize this terrible tragedy," Mrs. Clinton was quoted as saying in the Daily News on March 6, 2004, shortly after Mr. Bush's ads were released. "I hope that they would be more sensitive going forward."

Mrs. Clinton's new 30-second ad, which is running in Iowa and New Hampshire, includes a black-and-white still photograph of firefighters walking through the rubble and another of Mrs. Clinton wearing a dust mask as she met with rescue personnel.

[thatsitfortheotherone]

03:52 PM on 10/24/2007

Yeah, well, that would be because she basically sucks.

Better than any Repube, but worse than the rest of the Dems.

[hootie1fan]

02:02 PM on 10/24/2007

I thought that private enterprise was supposed to do the work quicker, more efficiently and cheaper than the public sector not turn out to be so corrupt and wasteful that future generation no born yet will have to pay.

[TJTelecaster]

01:47 PM on 10/24/2007

$4 Billion is four times what it would cost to provide those in the greatest need this winter their heating assistance..

See what a scum bag this ass-hole really is...?

I do..!

[lippp]

01:38 PM on 10/24/2007

This proves Bush is incompetent and phony. According to him he got average or above average grades in Business. Based on how he has been spending and accounting for where the money is going it is clear he has no clue. Unfortunately the American People are paying for his mismanagement and he apparently will not be held accountable. We really need to revamp our government and political process before another Bush type manipulates his/her way into the most important position in the world. So much for an edcuation from an Ivy League School.

[NewsSophisticate]

01:34 PM on 10/24/2007

This war is being funded by our children, not US. This is sad..time after time, "w" goes to the congressional "ATM" and they just hand the "spoiled dumb rich kid" more and more money.

The American taxpayer is not George Bush's damn "Trust Fund". Stop abusing US, our children, and the world! If the GOP and the "house of Pelosi" want to continue this wretched onslaught let it be with their children and their personal fortunes,not ours.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

American Monarchy? or American Democracy
http://newssophisticate.blogspot.com/2007/10/american-monarchy-or-american-democracy.html

[NewsSophisticate]

01:34 PM on 10/24/2007

Does the GOP still exist? or are they all Neo Cons now?

Who are the GOP representing? They're obviously not representing Muslims, African Americans, Latin Americans, or the middle class. I'm not sure they even have a 'base' anymore, The Christian Right is throwing their abortion hissy fit, the Minutemen are on revolt about immigration, and the military is turning sour on the war. America, the GOP is in trouble...and it's a good thing.

read the full article http://newssophisticate.blogspot.com/2007/10/does-gop-still-exist-or-are-they-all.html

[ContraEgoiste]

01:21 PM on 10/24/2007

.
4,000,000,000 / 35,000,000 = 114.29
114.29 * 5 = 571.45

That's 571 years of Health Insurance for children (SCHIPS) that was used instead for death and destruction.

So much for the "Family Values; Pro Life" party.
.

[thatsitfortheotherone]

03:54 PM on 10/24/2007

Good point.

[NewsSophisticate]

01:17 PM on 10/24/2007

$4 billion in 4 years. That is absolutely wild. Take a moment and read about the party of the war mongers.

"Does the GOP still exist? or are they all Neo Cons now?"

Who are the GOP representing? They're obviously not representing Muslims, African Americans, Latin Americans, or the middle class. I'm not sure they even have a 'base' anymore, The Christian Right is throwing their abortion hissy fit, the Minutemen are on revolt about immigration, and the military is turning sour on the war. America, the GOP is in trouble...and it's a good thing.....

Read on...
http://newssophisticate.blogspot.com/2007/10/does-gop-still-exist-or-are-they-all.html

[demsrnuts]

01:04 PM on 10/24/2007

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark of California apologized Tuesday for comments he made last week suggesting President Bush was sending troops to Iraq to get their "heads blown off for his amusement."


"I want to apologize first of all to my colleagues, many of whom I have offended, to the president. his family, to the troops that may have found (offense) in my remarks as were suggested in the motion that we just voted on, and I do apologize. ... With this apology I will become as insignificant as I should be and we can return to the issues that do divide us but that we can resolve," Stark said to applause.

[Dandy12]

12:43 PM on 10/24/2007

Without any oversight and guidelines, military components (public & private) have no controls what so ever. Out of control elements operating under our auspices are bound to alienate people, and drive many neutral ones into the arms of our enemies, thus we end up paying for having more enemies. Thus the war becomes self perpetuating... This whole war is a no win, dead end, forever spend proposition.

[gappytoofcondi]

12:28 PM on 10/24/2007

Let's give a warm welcome to the newest version of the SS- Blackwater!

[itsbushstupid]

12:27 PM on 10/24/2007

cheney created the strongest presidency ever.
he and rove did it for the eternity rule by repucks.
now, hil, has the power to decimate the repuck party for eternity.

i wonder if you care what i want. but, it is not to have another cheney, bush or hitler.

bye, bye, miss american pie...

[BuyRubles]

12:26 PM on 10/24/2007

give that money to the PKK can so they can eliminate the neo-nazi Turks

[Nonamnesiac]

12:09 PM on 10/24/2007

It is Unamerican AND unBlackwateran to regulate any corporation, including Blackwater. The added costs of regulation will simply make Blackwater less efficient, cut its profit margins and cause them to have to furlough employees. Why should Blackwater be required to abide by law or regulation when it works outside of the U.S.? If the State Department tries to regulate, Blackwater will just hire mercenaries from Eastern Europe and Asia and get rid of the overpaid Americans.

[olivia]

12:27 PM on 10/24/2007

The mistake is, fighting a war with paid mercenaries instead of a military.

Read Naomi Watts' recent writings on how the government is outsourcing absolutely EVERYTHING - including city governments!

That the U.S. cannot afford to fight a war with paid mercenaries is only one of many reasons it is a terrible idea.