Witnesses tell stories of contracting abuses in Iraq

The Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing today on "Contracting Abuses in Iraq: Is the Bush Administration Safeguarding American Taxpayer Dollars?" Chairman Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said this was the thirteenth in a series of oversight hearings to examine contacting abuses in Iraq, such as inappropriate awarding of major contracts, unsubstantiated costs and overcharges, and delivery of unsafe water to the troops in Iraq. Dorgan wants to create a special committee in the U.S. Senate, modeled after the Truman Committee, to "exercise oversight over contracting abuses related to reconstruction and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Frank Cassaday, former KBR employee, said he saw items being wasted in burn pits rather then paying to transport or store them, witnessed numerous illegal activities by KBR managers and employees, and knew of officers withholding ice from troops going into the desert to instead give ice to friends and co-workers or trade for DVDs, CDs, and other items at the Iraqi shops across the street. He also said employees padded their hours and staffed unnecessary workers on a project, which resulted in "more government dollars paid for work never performed." When he reported stolen items to the camp manager, he said he was punished and retaliated against by the KBR ice manager.

Linda Warren, another former Halliburton/KBR employee, was also retaliated against for reporting looting by KBR employees. She said "there appeared to be widespread corruption and no system of checks and balances." She witnessed inflation of the number of troops using the facilities, sometimes counting a soldier 8 times. Warren said she was "ashamed to be an American working in Iraq."

Barry Halley, former WWNS and CAPE Environmental employee, said he discovered missing items that DynCorp had received money for, as well as overcharging for laptops. He also reported on double billing for meals. Halley said a co-worker of his was killed in an unsecured car while the armored car he would have been riding in was being used by a manager to transport prostitutes. He said "it was clear to me that once you knew the right people in Iraq, projects could be created with little emphasis on contract performance."

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Criticizes "Shameful" U.S. Spending In Iraq

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) chaired a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing addressing wasted money, fraud, and the abuse of American tax money in the reconstruction of Iraq.

The Committee interrogated a panel of leaders knowledgeable about the wasted funds spent by the Bush Administration. Leahy described the carefree spending as "shameful." Leahy and the Committee criticized Bush's funding and close relationship with the controversial Halliburton Energy Corporation, and a lack of responsible oversight for government spending over the course of the war and during rebuilding efforts.

Panel members explained that America has had some success in Iraq, urging that sustaining the improvements we have made in the war-ravished nation is necessary to ensuring our success remains permanent. Leahy and the Committee each agreed that spending accountability should be held for the sake of both taxpayers and U.S. soldiers.

The hearing also featured a number of protestors in the audience, as well as photographs of American's in Iraq holding bags of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money.

DOD Inspector General's Report Confirms Allegations of Contaminated Water for the Troops in Iraq

U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) called for a conference at the U.S. Senate Radio-TV Gallery to discuss the results of a new Department of Defense Inspector General’s report on its investigation of the contaminated water provided by Halliburton-subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR).

The report was requested by Senator Dorgan after the whistleblowers made the allegations at a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing in January 2006.

Despite the illness of the dozens of soldiers at camp Vermont in Iraq and other parts of the country, the contractor and the Pentagon denied the allegations saying no facts were presented. Alongside Senator Dorgan, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) stressed the importance of the solution of this issue, urging the Department of Defense to carry out investigations in depth. However, the report provided by the Inspector General confirms that the water provided by the contractor was contaminated.

Senator Dorgan stressed the importance of this issue, by stating that this is abusive to the American tax payers and especially to the American troops. He then added his concerns on “why the Pentagon and the Department denied these allegations although they had facts in their hands.” He is set to send a letter to the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, for some answers.