Iraq contractor charging $3000 for a circuit breaker valued @ $94

[tpsbmam]

A U.S. government contractor in Iraq charged the Pentagon a whopping amount of money for inexpensive items, including $900 for a $7 control switch, according to a new report from a U.S. watchdog.

U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart W. Bowen Jr. said review found that Anham, LLC, which is based in suburban Washington, allowed its subcontractors in Iraq to also charge $3,000 for a $100 circuit breaker, and $80 for a piece of plumbing equipment worth $1.41.


<snip>

A spokesman for the U.S. military didn’t comment on the overcharges but issued a statement regarding the rest of the report, which found that frequent bombings, assassinations and a resurgence in violence by Shiite militias have made Iraq more dangerous now than it was just a year ago.

“We anticipated, and stated many times, that there would be militant and terrorist groups trying to take advantage of this period as U.S. forces prepare to fulfill our commitments under the Security Agreement. These groups attack both Iraqi and U.S. forces,” U.S. military spokesman Jeffrey Buchanan said.

(Yes, the source is Fox News.....don't care, the story is what's important.)

I'm racing and don't have time for more. Here are some of the costs I pulled out of the report:

$90 for a control switch valued at 7.05, a 12,666% difference
$80 for a small segment of drain pipe valued at $1.41, a 5,574 difference
$3000 for a circuit breaker valued at $94.47, a 3076% difference


And THIS plus making sure the wealthy get wealthier is what is happening with our damn taxes!!! This is just one example of what I have no doubt are millions. And this is what the fucking ReTHUGS are screaming about not cutting.




(I'm adding all of the links here in case the embedded ones don't work -- I'm outta here as soon as I post so I can't come back to fix.

Story: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/30/us-contractor-in-iraq-charges-pentagon-00-for-7-control-switch-report-finds/

Report: http://www.sigir.mil/publications/quarterlyreports/index.html

[ej510]

1. To republicans this is called letting the market dictate the rate.

[Mimosa]

2. WTH are 'we' supposed to get from this?

Somebody's making big money. Remind me why 'we' are in Iraq.

[xiamiam]

4. so somebod y can make big money..thats it..nt

[tridim]

3. Sounds just like the drug manufacturer markup.

[CarmanK]

5. iT'S NOT THE TERRORIST GROUPS OVERCHARGING!

Private contractors with no-bid contracts have no conscience when it comes to over billing american taxpayers for services, supplies or shoddy work. We have seen this throughout the 10 years of war. The Bushies hid it by pushing no bid contracts over which they had control and then limited the audits of the dif depts and of course spent a whole lot of time sending political hacks to Iraq and Afghanistan to do jobs for which they were not qualified. And of course, they permeated the govt agencies with their buddies who sat back, collected their salaries and did nothing. The OFFICE of MINE SAFETY was the poster child for BUSH GOVT performance (the whore house and drug store was very active playing on taxpayer's dime). And of course, who will ever forget KATRINA and FEMA.

[gateley]

6. Does this fall under the Pentagon budget?

Lindsey Graham was just saying that the cuts encompass the Pentagon, Veterans and Homeland Security. I was thinking "well surely there's plenty that can be cut @ the Pentagon and Homeland Security" -- then I saw this.

Are these expenditures part of that budget, do you know?

Thanks.

[Fearless]

7. But but but... no bid contracts... privatization... government socialism... n/t