Bush Administration Flooding Iraqi Black Market With Billions Of Dollars In Weapons
Bush Administration Flooding Iraqi Black Market With Billions Of Dollars In Weapons
In his testimony before Congress last week, Gen. David Petraeus confirmed that the United States plans to sell billions of dollars of weapons to Iraq:
Iraq is becoming one of the United States’ larger foreign military sales customers, committing some 1.6 billion (dollars) to FMS already, with the possibility of up to 1.8 billion (dollars) more being committed before the end of this year.
This move may mean big profits for arms manufacturers in the United States and abroad. But as Salon’s Mark Benjamin notes, “[G]ood business doesn’t necessarily equal good foreign policy.”
A recent Government Accountability Report found that the United States has been unable to keep track of the arms it sold in the region. Under Petraeus’s watch, more than “110,000 AK-47 assault rifles, 80,000 Glock pistols, 135,000 pieces of body armor and 115,000 Kevlar helmets issued to Iraqi security forces” have gone missing. U.S. weapons sold to the Iraqi government were also found in Turkey, where they were linked to violent crimes.
U.S. officials also acknowledged in June that they were arming Sunni groups who promised to fight Al-Qaeda. But as Center for American Progress Senior Fellows Lawrence Korb and Brian Katulis note, the Bush administration’s short-sighted strategy is actually contributing to the deterioration of the security situation:
First, the United States is arming up different sides in multiple civil wars that could turn even more vicious in the coming years. Second (and more important to America’s strategic interests) billions of dollars of U.S. military assistance is going to some of the closest allies of America’s greatest rival in the Middle East — Iran. The Shi’a-dominated Iraqi national army and security forces could quite quickly turn their weapons against American troops and allies in the region.
Recent statistics also show that the more the United States trains and equips the Iraqi security forces, the more violence in the country increases.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
36 Responses to “Bush Administration Flooding Iraqi Black Market With Billions Of Dollars In Weapons”
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
Didn’t we arm them in the first place? Didn’t we arm Afganastan in the first place? Didn’t we arm ….. Oh Never mind.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:17 pmjeremy - new name - night shift?
welcome!
i’ve said - and credit randi for the quote -
they are training, and arming, their own killers…
it’s criminal…
September 18th, 2007 at 9:25 pm.
So Petraus committed perjury last week.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:25 pmU.S. officials also acknowledged in June that they were arming Sunni groups who promised to fight Al-Qaeda.
I heard recently that there are no “al Qaeda” in the Anbar province area. They were all insurgents who the US government chose to name “al Qaeda” and then paid money to the people in Anbar to get rid of them. Well, once they got their money and arms, they were no longer insurgents or “al Queda” so problem solved.
My bet is on there are no “al Queda” in Iraq. My bet is on that they are all just insurgents and our government has conveniently named them “al Queda in Mesopotamia” to make them to boogy man. Bush is good at that, making boogy men.
I also heard that estimates are that there are almost 180,000 mercenaries in Iraw working for Blackwater and other mercenary companies. So, I say we leave Iraq and allow them to be the occupying force.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:26 pmIt gives the adage “Hoist on our own pitard” new relevance.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:28 pmBlackwater Mercenaries (aka Bush By Proxy) are beginning to resemble the nazi death squads.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:29 pmBREAKING: Jim Webb explains why we must Support the “Webb Amendment†and the Troops!
By: John Amato on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 3:50 PM - PDT
Jim Webb made an exclusive video to explain why Congress must support the troops and pass the “Webb Amendment,†on Wednesday. He asks us to call our elected officials and tell them to support this very simple, but important measure. It received 56 votes last time it was introduced, but was filibustered by the Rubber Stamp Republicans which included McConnell and Warner. You can read all about it here…Jim’s website has a fact sheet also.
Please call and ask these senators to support Jim Webb’s pro-troop amendment:
[names and numbers at link]
http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2007/ 09/ 18/ breaking-jim-webb-explains-why-we-must-support-the-webb-amendment-and-the-troops/
…
here are the toll free capitol switchboard numbers:
September 18th, 2007 at 9:32 pm1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437
.
But if we criticize the administration for this terrible situation, we are rooting against our own country and don’t support the troops. Did I get it right?
September 18th, 2007 at 9:32 pmin bushco world you did, keepinon…
September 18th, 2007 at 9:35 pmonly in bushco bizarro world…
We never learn.
Veritas (good to see you back here), the use of mercenaries in this debacle (and in New Orleans) has been something of great concern. No rules, no accountability, no oversight. Dick’s private army. It’s time for someone to pull the plug on such activities.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:36 pmTest
September 18th, 2007 at 9:45 pmWe’re like Milo Minderbinder except real
September 18th, 2007 at 9:48 pm“War is a racket.”–General Smedley D. Butler
Iraq is the biggest racket of all, and if this is not treason, I am not an American.
Impeachment is the only answer. Who will listen? You Jim Webb? You John Kerry? You Nancy Pelosi? How about you Henry Waxman? How about you John Conyers?
I have just read that Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) may filibuster the Dodd amendment to restore Habeas Corpus rights.
Our country is gone. Too many think it’s a joke, too many don’t know, and too many pay no attention. The perfect fascist storm.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:52 pmIt’s time for Reid to do something about these obstructionist filibusters. Whatever happened to the nuclear option? Time to pull out the big guns and get real.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:57 pmTesting
September 18th, 2007 at 9:59 pmPaul Rieckhoff was on rachel maddow this evening talking about this…
she also reported that all proceeds from the purchace at itunes were
going to IAVA… and that’s cool…
…
Dear IAVA Supporter,
You’ve probably heard about Obama Girl, Giuliani Girl and the Romney triplets - the internet sensations that have been featured in recent weeks on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and more. Well, they’re back, and this time they’ve teamed up with IAVA on a non-partisan project dedicated to the members of our armed services.
Today, in conjunction with BarelyPolitical.com, we released a new video starring the famed Obama girl, Guiliani girl and Romney triplets, and also featuring a cameo by best-selling rapper Mims. They may all have supported different candidates in the past, but there is one thing they all agree on: they all support our men and women in uniform.
Watch the video now.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/ dia/ organizationsORG/ OpTruth/ petition.jsp?petition_KEY=723
The new video features a ton of footage contributed by people who currently have loved ones and family members abroad, and we’re going to be making a second version in the coming weeks that is made entirely of clips sent in by military wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends. You can submit your own here .
Getting this video together has been a great experience. Some will say this is a ridiculous venture. But if it makes our brave men and women in uniform laugh, and helps to remind them that even though we belong to different political parties and have different views on the war, we all support the troops, than it will have been a resounding success.
Take a minute to watch the video. And if you know anyone in the armed services, pass it on to them, and let them know they’re appreciated.
…
it’s not my thing, but many will appreciate and enjoy this…
September 18th, 2007 at 10:06 pm.
The weapons “‘…issued to Iraqi security forces’ have gone missing.”
Today seems to be the day for defining our terms. I would submit that a goodly number of those weapons are in the hands of the “Insurgents” and are being used against the troops we are supporting there. Would you classify casualties by those weapons as “friendly fire?”
This just again proves that the bushco war is about nothing but the facilitation of the profits of the bushco Corporations. If it is so obvious to a casual observer such as myself why can’t (won’t) the pols charged with preventing such graft and crime see the pattern and take action?
I am of a mood now to vote against every incumbent in every office in 2008 regardless of party.
When will we ever learn?
September 18th, 2007 at 10:12 pmWe have met the enemy, etc.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:21 pmClyde the Ripper sez:
Yup…I remember when 380 tons of explosives was stolen from a weapons stockpile in Iraq.
I said to myself, “wow…that’s a ton of explosives…”
And then, I said it again three hundred and seventy-nine more times, just to be accurate.
(Apologies to GYWO. If you hate this illegal and immoral occupation (and I know I do), GYWO can really take the edge off.)
September 18th, 2007 at 10:29 pmDid this site crash?
September 18th, 2007 at 10:42 pmOf course, it’s a darn good thing the US deep-sixed any attempt to limit the flow of small arms - would be hell on those gun company profits and if the US wants to export its own brand of ‘democracy’ then the Holy Second Amendment must go with it too, eh Chuck Heston?
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0712-09.htm
Mind you, the US has never felt much like adhering to treaties it didn’t like either, but this one would have been awkward as the Ak-47s flood into Anbar….
September 18th, 2007 at 10:48 pmWar. Don’t you just love it. Its big money, big business. It doesn’t matter what side you are arming, you still come out ahead! And better yet, when you arm both sides, you make twice the money for a long, long time! (said with utter sarcasm…)
September 18th, 2007 at 11:05 pmI am so thoroughly disgusted.
The level of graft and profiteering in this war is going to be legendary when it is all over.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:15 pm#4 Bilbobaggins
September 18th, 2007 at 11:16 pmI think I agree entirely with your statement.
We can’t find millions of dollars in cash.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:19 pmWe have lost tons of munitions.
We shift from supporting one side to the other — I believe the Iraqi waralords are laughing at us.
There was the story of the Sheik who was killed after he shock hands with the President and was supposed to be the leader of all the tribal factions in the Anbar province (Sunni and Shia alike). Yet the only ones who talk about him being anything more than a creation of the administration, is the platoon leaders in the field. They talk about him like he is god or something.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:25 pmthe other leaders, (the ones with tribes) say he is a fraud.
What we have done is paid off the Sunni insergants and given them weapons so that they can ethnically cleans the area of Shia.
Hundreds of thousands of these Shia are now in the Shia slums of Baghdad, where the Mahdir Army recruits.
What the administration is claiming to be a “Victory” is a victory in the way of Augusto Pinocet and the Shaw of Iran.
It is sick that the press doesn’t even blink an eye.
This is the NRA solution to violence. Arm everyone. It doesn’t work.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:26 pmArming both sides of a civil war…
Bush sells genocide to Congress.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:46 am90% of Iraqis think it is ok the kill American troops. So General Betrayus gives them money and guns.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:03 amOne of these days we’ll look into a mirror and discover that we have become the Morlocks!
September 19th, 2007 at 6:41 amRepublicans don’t know they’re screw-ups, do they?
September 19th, 2007 at 7:52 amThe current administration been fighting the “war on terror” by pouring gasoline on it. Not only have we managed to ramp up the recruiting for Al Qaeda with our occupation, but we are handing everybody weapons (while asking them to play nice, however).
Next: Iran. More gasoline! Make those flames dance!
September 19th, 2007 at 8:33 amHold on a minute! This may be a good thing.
If we flood the black market with our weapons, Al Q won’t have to get their weapons from Iran - therefore removing it from influencing the War on Terror. Consequently, we won’t have to attack Iran.
September 19th, 2007 at 10:32 amOne of the first things you learn when you become a soldier is to never, ever misplace your weapon. You strapped it to yourself and never let it out of your sight. The principal reason was self protection.
Today, we give the enemy money and weapondry. All for the bottom line of some American corporation.
That should make our troops feel secure. And Mr Bush’s friends rich.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:09 amHmmm, first they had WMD, but now that we’ve flooded them with guns, Iraq must be a safer place! Almost every person in the country is dead. It’s clear that the war must be ending soon, we’re kicking ass. USA!
September 19th, 2007 at 1:01 pmSo, what is the problem with merely making sure that no entity in the Middle East has interballistic (as in can ONLY KILL EACH OTHER) capabilities, giving them ALL weapons, then letting nature take it’s course? After all, it is what is IN the ground that has economic value to both established and rapidly growing countries …… not what is ON it. What’s that? Israel has nukes? Get some over to Iran and Syria …… ones that can ONLY KILL EACH OTHER. Having seen both, starvation through blockade is the far more cruel one …… the lingering death. The religious fanaticism (GLOBALLY) needs to either cease and learn to play nice …… or let them all play Armageddon with each other. Chances are, playing Armageddon won’t last very long. Worst case scenario? Folks in spacesuits stick big glass straws in the ground for the industrial “fix” of the REST of the world. I would personally far rather that no people at all could be caught up in so much fear, hate, and greed be around at all and we could all just kick it and live our lives. Unfortunately, such is not the nature of us humans …… if it were we would still be dragging knuckles. Love it, hate it, whatever …… just deal with it.
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:09 am