Wyatt E
Topic: Foreign Affairs
Title: U.S. Defense Department can't account for billions for Iraq, audit finds
Author: Josh Levs
Publication: cnn.com
Words: 668
In 2004 the United States Defense Department was given access
to about three billion dollars to pay for expenses. Unfortunately, a
recent audit of the Defense Department shows that they can only account
for a third of it. Thats right the US government misplaced over two
billion dollars. There are, specifically, thirty eight missing monthly
reports. In a row. The missing reports are currently being blamed on a
faulty administrative system set up shortly after the department was
given access to the money. It is being claimed that the money was used
as it was intended, to fund a wide variety of reconstruction projects.
This is important to United States citizens because it shows that we
cannot always rely on others to keep track of important issues. The American public must stand up and demand an improvement on the clarity and productiveness of the government. This also has international ramifications,
as there is bound to be an response by the Iraqi government at the very
least as to where the money is. An important lesson to be taken from
this is that no matter what your intentions, a poor organization and
faulty records will make you look less than responsible.
I think that it is incredible that such an error could be made by the US Defense Department. As citizens, we should know whether or not our taxes are being used in a constructive manner and are not just being wasted. 38 missing monthly reports means that was over two and a half years of not knowing where the 2 billion dollars was spent. Especially because the United States is currently in so much debt, it is even more outrageous that this money cannot be accounted for and was supposedly spent on a not very successful campaign in Iraq.
ReplyDeletethis article very clearly uncovers the corruption that has been plaguing the government. When a department of government 'displaces' a couple billion dollars, something is up and needs to be taken care of. I feel that it is only fair that the members of the defense department responsible for the missing money either come up with the money, or pay for it themselves, not that it should hurt them much because I am sure at least some portion of it went towards lining their own pockets.
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