GOP makes it easier to defraud the American public over Iraq contracts.

I actually used this article in response to another thread, but I think it is worthy of it's own thread, too.

http://thehill.com/news/110503/profiteering.aspx

Rage erupts over profiteering clause
Iraq supplemental justified, says GOP
By Klaus Marre


A decision by the House Republicans to strip the Iraq supplemental bill of an anti-profiteering provision has outraged the Democrats.
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The provision — included during the Senate Appropriations Committee markup with unanimous support but removed in conference — would have subjected those who deliberately defrauded the United States or Iraq to jail terms of up to 20 years and costly fines.
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Leahy’s measure would slap penalties on those who “materially [overvalue] any good or service with the specific intent to excessively profit from the war, military action, or relief or reconstruction activities in Iraq.”

At a Democratic Policy Committee hearing, Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, testified that “Halliburton [formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney] has charged an average price of $2.65 a gallon of gasoline imported into Iraq from Kuwait, despite experts’ conclusions that the total price should be less than $1 a gallon.”

Sloan added that Iraq’s state oil company is importing “the exact same gas” for 97 cents. She concluded that between $286 million and $339 million of the $900 million the administration has requested for the importation of petroleum products could be wasted “if Halliburton’s pricing practices are not stopped.”

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who chaired the hearing, said, “Is there anything more ironic than getting ripped off on the price of oil imports in Iraq, of all places?”
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Durbin said the Iraq spending bill opens the door for “fat and sloppy good-old-boy contracts.” The lawmaker said that those seeking greater transparency were unable to examine many contracts because they are classified. Asserting that this has nothing to do with security, Durbin added, “This administration classifies anything that might be embarrassing.”
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Other attempts by Congress to require more accountability for spending the money, especially the reconstruction funds, were for the most part watered down or removed.

The White House staff did not respond to a request for comment.


What will it take for the supporters of this government to wake up and start asking some real questions, and demanding some real answers from the Bush administration?

why would we fight a war and then not get what benefits we could for it? We are going to make our 200 billion dollars back 10 times over, whats wrong with that? It was American blood and sweat, would the democrats feel better if those cheese eating surrender monkeys in Europe made the money off of that?

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let me understand you straight: you take profiteering from a war is alright? What about looting their national heritage? Is take A-OK as well? Plundering their gold, silver and jewelry? Where do you draw the line?

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Banging head smilie required.

Money has to be made rebuilding the country, and we have to make our money back we are pouring in billions. We are pillaging their country, we are building it. See the McDonalds.. see the Burger King, see the oil truck driving away with the texaco sign on it, that is not stealing. Someone has to do it and it wont be the French or the Germans.

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funny...I actually thought the war was about liberating the Iraqi people, not profiteering from them...ah well guess I must have been mistaken.

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Pillaging their country is right.

You don't seem to quite understand that what this removal of the anti-profiteering bill does, is allows businesses like Halliburton to rip off the American people, by over-quoting, and not being accountable. YOU will pay, THEY will reap profits. The money won't go back to Americans - it will only go back to a small privileged few. Those few being corrupt as hell.

Not to mention, that all other bids are blocked, and isn't that against the free-trade, pro-competitive market ideology of America?

yeah, but since the Republicans want it, some people will defend it regardless.

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For Bush and his junta, the war is about money, money for them. And for Bush and his buds it is oil profits that caused them to have Americans and Iraqis die in a needless war. If Bush and his buds could not make money there, there would have been no war.
Jeff the Finn

New Conspiracy Theory Alert:

Bush didn't want the money going to Iraq to be given in the form of loans because if it was, the Iraqiis would probably keep better tabs on where that money is being spent and want to keep costs low and would expect to be able to shop around for what the money is being spent on. As it stands now, gasoline, cement, labor, and other raw materials are being imported at inflated costs with no bidding or competition from neighboring countries or internal resources.

Just a thought.