EXCLUSIVE-Corruption rampant in Bush's Iraqi govt, says US inspector

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL842445.htm

BAGHDAD, July 9 (Reuters) - Corruption is rampant at "every level" of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government, with Iraqi graft inspectors calculating that at least $4 billion has been pilfered from state coffers, a top U.S. official said.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction will report to the U.S. Congress this month that corruption remains "a very huge challenge to the government of Iraq", Ginger Cruz, deputy inspector general at the oversight agency, told Reuters in an interview in Baghdad on Saturday.

"It is something that requires international cooperation. It is a very, very serious problem. Corruption is evident in every level of government ... in every one of the ministries.

"It is probably one of the biggest problems facing them," she said, singling out smuggling in the oil sector, the lifeblood of Iraq's shattered economy, as a particular problem.

[mod mom]

1. Where ever you find connections to BFEE, you'll find massive corruption.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Our tax dollars at work.

Looks like they learned fast from our govenment how to best apply public funds.

[thepurpose]

3. Well that's the pot calling the kettle black isn't it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/18/AR2006041801742_pf.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/01/AR2005120101722.html

[ljm2002]

4. "$4 billion has been pilfered"...

...pilfered?

PILFERED??

How the heck do you PILFER $4 BILLION???

Using that word minimizes the scale of what is being done. Although of course, compared to the ransacking of the treasury that is occurring in this country, perhaps it does seem minimal enough.

Dictionary definition of "pilfer":

intransitive verb : STEAL; especially : to steal stealthily in small amounts and often again and again

transitive verb : STEAL; especially : to steal in small quantities