Security Money Goes Missing

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Jul 28, 2010

I’m no fan of the current administration in Washington, D.C., especially when it comes to spending money. The White House, it would seem, pays its bills by printing more money and borrowing from a creditor that has no interest in democracy.

While it may seem like chump change, the Defense Department cannot account for 95 percent of the $9.1 billion in Iraqi oil money, earmarked by the United States, for rebuilding that war-ravaged country. This, in a country where basic necessities such as electricity and clean water are still lacking.

Just so you know, 95 percent adds up to $8.7 billion. Shoddy recordkeeping by DOD also meant that the Pentagon could not account for $2.6 billion it had spent.

Yes, there have been security gains since 2008, but bombings on a daily basis still plague the Iraqis. It seems that politicians are more interested in themselves than their countrymen. A U.S. audit further indicates that Iraqis are frustrated and will continue to suffer from poor infrastructure despite the billions of dollars spent on security and rebuilding efforts.

Security often comes with a price, but in this case, the price tag seems to have ballooned far beyond logic. Security is everyone's duty; lining one's pockets with money is another issue altogether.