Those guys -- believe it or not -- are better than the guys we brought over!
They steal less.
But hey, at least some America firm embezzled a cool $38 mil., so everyone should be happy.
You didn't need that money, America!
"$38m Iraq computer effort suspended; New accounting system isn't used" by Walter Pincus/Washington Post October 26, 2007
WASHINGTON - A $38 million US effort to create a computerized accounting system for the Iraqi government has been suspended because the Ministry of Finance there has continued to use a paper system, according to the latest report of Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.
"Nobody noticed" when the computerized Iraq Financial Management Information System was inoperable for a month, and no one relies on it to produce reports, Bowen said in a report released by his office Wednesday.
[$38 million more in WASTE, Amurka!
Nice that Bush can just THROW MONEY AWAY, becasue we have no problems here!]
Bowen's statement follows a disclosure earlier this month by the Government Accountability Office that $8 million was spent to train about 500 Iraqi government employees in various ministries to use the computerized system, but the Finance Ministry refused to drop its paper spreadsheets.
[$8 mil to train for no job! Bush is just shitting (our) money all over the place!!!]
Installation of the accounting system was halted last May when a British contractor and his security team were kidnapped from the Ministry of Finance office, located outside the protected Green Zone where many international officials live and work.
[Wonder if that was an inside job so the fraud wouldn't be discovered!]
Bowen reported that despite the substantial US investment in the system, the US Embassy in Baghdad "does not have a firm plan or strategy for addressing the next steps in the development of the system."
[So they'll what... need more $$$$$?!
I'm getting fucking angry, readers!
I'm cold, I'm hurting and I'm starving, yet this fuck can blow money in Iraq?!]
The experience is not unique, according to the GAO. Despite US spending of $300 million the past two years to improve the capacity of Iraq's ministries - and with $255 million more sought for next year - a recent GAO report said progress has been stalled not only by poor security but also by pervasive corruption, a shortage of competent personnel, and sectarian and political control of appointments.
[Oh, another $500 MILLION was spent the last few-and-coming years, huh?
Yeah, but America doesn't need $500 million for anything, right?
FUCKING IMPEACH THIS BASTARD, will ya?]
"U.S. Faults Its Bid to Replace Iraq’s Accounting System" by JAMES GLANZ and ANDREW E. KRAMER
BAGHDAD, Oct. 24 — An American project to replace the Iraqi government’s opaque and easily manipulated Saddam Hussein-era accounting system has failed to achieve its goals after four years and more than $38 million, an American oversight agency reported Wednesday.
[Have you taken a look at the U.S. Congress? Pfffffttttt!]
An early objective of the American occupation was to streamline the corrupt Iraqi bureaucracy that had flourished under Mr. Hussein, and establish controls that would make it more difficult to divert the enormous Iraqi oil revenues that provide nearly all of the government’s budget.
[No, they made it easier to get into the hands of the oil companies]
But the American oversight agency, called the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, said Wednesday in a report that the system the United States had chosen had shown a “lack of understanding of the existing Iraq financial and business processes,” and had not taken root.
As a result, the new system has had little impact on Iraq’s financial apparatus, said Ginger Cruz, a deputy inspector general in the office. The old system remains in place, she said.
Ms. Cruz: “The convoluted way that they used to do accounting under Saddam was created for secrecy and control.”
[Yeah, SADDAM'S WAY -- which, coincidentally(?) -- is JUST LIKE BUSH'S!!]
