justwant2know's Blog

WASHINGTON - Millions of dollars of lucrative Iraq reconstruction contracts were never finished because of excessive delays, poor performance or other factors, including failed projects that are being falsely described by the U.S. government as complete, federal investigators say.

 

The audit released Sunday by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, provides the latest snapshot of an uneven reconstruction effort that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion.

The special IG's review of 47,321 reconstruction projects worth billions of dollars found that at least 855 contracts were terminated by U.S. officials before their completion, primarily because of unforeseen factors such as violence and excessive costs. About 112 of those agreements were ended specifically because of the contractors' actual or anticipated poor performance. In addition, the audit said many reconstruction projects were being described as complete or otherwise successful when they were not. In one case, the U.S. Agency for International Development contracted with Bechtel Corp. in 2004 to construct a $50 million children's hospital in Basra, only to "essentially terminate" the project in 2006 because of monthslong delays.

The audit comes amid renewed focus in recent months on potential abuse in contracting government-wide, such as Iraq reconstruction. Last year, congressional investigators said as much as $10 billion — or one in six dollars — charged by U.S. contractors for Iraq reconstruction were questionable or unsupported, and warned that significantly more taxpayer money was at risk.

My question is why are talking about whose pastor is the craziest, wackiest or scariest. Rev. Wright, John Hagee , Rod Parsley, Pat Buchanan etc. They truly are not the issue when this country is struggling with issue like stated above, no health care, our veterans bravely serve our country and return home and get no support (after the parade is over) they have no medical, mental healthcare, they have lost their jobs, can't pay their bills many complain that they can't even get a return phone call from the government, we have an educational system that is falling behind internationally, jobs are leaving this country, we import far more than we export, we are fight an elective war, on credit no less,  we lowered taxes during wartime (never ever done in the history of this country), we love our children but we handing them the bill for an elective war. We have higher crime rate than any industrialize,educted nation, statistically we have higher a  abortion rate also, shall I continue... Yet we sit back and talk about whose pastor is the scariest.  My mom is prettier than your mom, my dad can beat up your dad, your friends are more radical and controversial than mine, now what. Rev Wright as offensive as you may find his comments he did not start the war in Iraq, did not vote against healthcare reform, did not refuse to sign the bill to support the veterans, he did not cause the current mortgage crisis, did not vote for NAFTA, he does not perform abortions, he did not deny your car loans or foreclose on your house, he did not lay you off or close your company, he did not raid your 401k or retirement fund, he is not responsible for children not being able to get in to their college of choice, or if they do get in he is not responsible for the fact that they more than likely will live near poverty level ( as the middle class is becoming the working poor) with a college education because of cost of the loans that they will be paying off until their 30's.  People better know their candidates views on war, the economy, taxes, education, healthcare, foregin trade, free trade, import/export, civil rights for starter, yet our debates continue to be non issues. There is a reason for the separation of church and state and why there is no religous litmus test for POTUS. No one objected to GWB minister and look where that has gotten us, to be fair to his pastor he on numerous occassions voiced his oppostition to the war for all the good that did.  At the end of the day, Rev. Wright, Hagee or Parsely are men and they are entitled to their opinions even if some find it objectional or offensive this is still america with freedom of thought. Has anybody wondered why if all christians go to church and  worship the same God , why is sunday morning is the most segregated time in amercia (to quote Dr. King)?  

 

I am currently in Florida and I am for the first time not proud to be from the State of Michigan.  When I am asked where I am from I just say Bloomfield Hills, I no longer mention a suburb of Detroit.  The state is known by Detroit outside of Michigan, people are now judging the state of Michigan as being corrupt and incomptent, it is unfortunate that this is an indictment of the entire state. The economy is tough all over and unfortunately Michigan is in a one state recession, it is tough here in Fl too. However, there is a sense of hope and that things will eventually turn around here in Florida.  I do not feel the same sense of optimism in Michigan at all. Michigan is recognized by Detroit even more so than Lansing or Grand Rapids, I have not had faith in the Governor in a while and her decided inaction on the problems in Detroit is absolutely unacceptable.  Even if you consider she has termed out as Governor and can not run for reelection you would think that she would want to leave Michigan with doing something decisive and positive.  I believe she is hoping for an appointment in the Clinton administration with further Democratic aspirations and not wanting to anger other Democrats she is allowing this to continue.  My question to the Governor who should know better, is how can Kwame serve as mayor and fight for his defense at the same time? I was not too impressed with his being mayor when that was his only job.  Can you imagine what is not getting done with the distractions of keeping himself out of prison, fighting for his job and his public image.  This is the same man who was accused of using city funds and employees to work on his campagin during reelection time, is it so hard to believe that he will do the same for his defense.  I do not expect more of him at this time he has proven himself to be a man of no character, no morals, ethics,or integrity.  Kwame can do no better, he is no better than his actions and his statements; however I think that we should be able to count on the others in charge namely the Governor to interceede on our behalf.  Force Kwame to resign and let him spin his lies and raise money as a private citizen.  The city can then get on with healing and trying to find a new identity do we want to go from being the Motor city to the Lair of the Lying King? We can stop being the focus of jokes on every talk show and newspaper from here to Japan.  In all honesty I love Michigan and there is nothing more beautiful than a Michigan summer, but if I were a business and had to find a new location would I choose Michigan or   Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin  etc...?  This unfortunate avoidable situation is now starting to speak for the state and not just Detroit.

I was watching Kwame on the news this morning, I was stunned to see him discussing how being the mayor of Detroit was his dream since he was nine years old. This is what he loves to do and this is what he born to do.  He spoke about how he was on a mission from god and would not quit on the city.  I was concerned that every other word out of his mouth was I. What I want, what I will or will not do. It was very concerning to watch he has no shame, no remorse, he was like a petulant 4 year old. Me, me, me.  I can not fathom a person that even after the papers have been released can still claim that they did nothing wrong and people are trying to persecute him unjustly. The only thing I can say is that I no longer think of him as a stupid,selfish, arrogant man, he is a very sick man. I do hope that the people around him are careful as Dante Alighieri said the hottest places in hell are reserved for those that see injustice and wrong doing and do nothing. I think that there is a lot of house cleaning that needs to be in the city.

I have tried hard to understand the defense and sympathy for KK.   I am at a lost to understand it.  This man has done so many things that has violated the trust of the people he has sworn to serve. This man has displayed no character, morally challenged, unethical, lacking in integrity and not an honest person. I am not interested in the txts from the stand point that he was having an affair who cares.  Everyone involved happen to be adults (not even his wife seems to care who sleeps with) that is obivous he had several relationships before Christine and has had at least one that we know of since.  If it was only the sex then we could say he is just an immoral man and not a good mayor. However, we have the misuse of city funds to pay for your escapades on the city, used the city credit card for over $280,000 and only paid back $9,000, leased a luxury suv for your wife, lied and finally said it was miscommunication, you help your girlfriend obtain an illegal mortgage and tried to hide that by creating false documents, lied under oathabout the affair and  firing of city employees for doing their jobs and entered into a secret agreement to cover up this whole debachle. This is by no means an all inclusive list there are so many more things.  I do not understand the loyalty, WRONG is WRONG and he deserves to be treated like he has acted.  As for his wife and family, he should have thought about them when he was doing what he did.  I have read where people are saying his wife must be in living in hell.  Everyone in prison has someone that loves them and is suffering because of their incarceration. I will save my sympathy for the real victims, the family of the officers that have lost their jobs, the residents of Detroit that have no choices, the residents that have to send their children to schools that are not good enough for his children (they should attend DPS schools), the residents that have to pay taxes for inferior city services and are still expected to forgive and look the other way.