A few laps for "freedom"
From Senate Democrats:
Americans Pay for Olympic-Size Swimming Pool in Iraq as U.S. Troops Go Without
Today, in his speech in New York on the economy, President Bush boasted that he would make sure American troops had all the equipment they need. Unfortunately, two recent Pentagon reports give reason to doubt the President's claim. Our troops are going without even as government funds go to pay for such boondoggles as an Olympic-size swimming pool in an unused training camp. As the President is planning to send 21,500 more American service members into Iraq and asking for $1.2 billion in new reconstruction aid, Americans have every reason to question his spending priorities.
President Bush Today: "And we're going to make sure our troops have all the equipment they need to do the job we sent them to do." [President Bush, 1/31/07]
Two Pentagon Reports Tell a Different Story:
U.S. Troops Went Without:
Troops Lack Up-Armored Vehicles. [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
Troops Lack Communications Equipment. [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
Troops Lack Electronic Jammers for Roadside Bombs. [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
Troops Lack Heavy Machine Guns. [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
The Shortages Will Be Exacerbated with Bush's Escalation Plan: "President Bush's plan to send five additional U.S. combat brigades into Iraq has left the Army and Marines scrambling to ensure that the troops could be supported with the necessary armored vehicles, jamming devices, radios and other gear, as well as lodging and other logistics." [Washington Post, 1/30/07]
Where the Money Went:
Olympic-Size Swimming Pool. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
20 VIP Trailers. (Pool and trailers cost $4.2 million combined.) [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
Missing Body Armor and Equipment. $36.4 million for weapons such as armored vehicles, body armor and communications equipment that can't be accounted for. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
An Unused Training Camp. $43.8 million for a residential camp for police training personnel outside of Baghdad's Adnan Palace grounds that has stood empty for months. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
Bottom Line: American Service Members Pay the Price for the Bush Administration's Flawed Priorities: "Service members performed missions without the proper equipment, used informal procedures to obtain equipment and sustainment support, and canceled or postponed missions while waiting to receive equipment." [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
Americans Pay for Olympic-Size Swimming Pool in Iraq as U.S. Troops Go Without
Today, in his speech in New York on the economy, President Bush boasted that he would make sure American troops had all the equipment they need. Unfortunately, two recent Pentagon reports give reason to doubt the President's claim. Our troops are going without even as government funds go to pay for such boondoggles as an Olympic-size swimming pool in an unused training camp. As the President is planning to send 21,500 more American service members into Iraq and asking for $1.2 billion in new reconstruction aid, Americans have every reason to question his spending priorities.
President Bush Today: "And we're going to make sure our troops have all the equipment they need to do the job we sent them to do." [President Bush, 1/31/07]
Two Pentagon Reports Tell a Different Story:
U.S. Troops Went Without:
Where the Money Went:
Olympic-Size Swimming Pool. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
20 VIP Trailers. (Pool and trailers cost $4.2 million combined.) [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
Missing Body Armor and Equipment. $36.4 million for weapons such as armored vehicles, body armor and communications equipment that can't be accounted for. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
An Unused Training Camp. $43.8 million for a residential camp for police training personnel outside of Baghdad's Adnan Palace grounds that has stood empty for months. [Quarterly Report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 1/30/07]
Bottom Line: American Service Members Pay the Price for the Bush Administration's Flawed Priorities: "Service members performed missions without the proper equipment, used informal procedures to obtain equipment and sustainment support, and canceled or postponed missions while waiting to receive equipment." [DOD/IG, Equipment Status of Deployed Forces, 1/25/07]
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< E-Liberal Home