Iraq Investigates Missing $1.9 Billion; US Still Investigating WMDs
The New Arab reports Iraq is investigating claims of $1.9 billion missing from a welfare fund. A tidy sum, indeed, for a country that’s seen trillions flow through its borders since the 2003 invasion, much of it straight into the coffers of contractors and various 'reconstruction' efforts. This comes as no surprise to anyone who remembers the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) from
2003-2004, which literally flew billions in shrink-wrapped cash into Iraq, much of which remains unaccounted for to this day, according to reports from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). The audacity of investigating current 'missing' funds while the initial, foundational heist in plain sight was simply swept under the rug is almost charming. One might wonder where The
New Arab's deeper dive is on the initial financial black hole created by the invasion. It seems 'corruption' becomes headline-worthy only when it's an Iraqi scandal. Perhaps if the US government were to, say, fully account for the billions of dollars allocated for 'stabilization' that evaporated, it might set a precedent. But then, who needs precedent when you have selective outrage? The US spent
over $800 billion in Iraq, a cost that didn't include the value of lives lost. Yet, a welfare fund's $1.9 billion disappearance is deemed scandalous. Indeed.