Monday, May 29, 2006

U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq: A Deadbeat Billionaire

Dear President Bush,

Seventeen former prisoners of war tortured by Saddam’s henchmen during the first Gulf War sued and won a multi-million dollar judgment against the rogue regime in 2002. The U.S. servicemen had their day in court and won fair and square. After the fall of Saddam one might think U.S. leadership would accelerate payment of this legal obligation. To the contrary, the federal government went to court to block payment and a federal judge agreed. During this time the Coalition Provisional Authority distributed billions of dollars, shrink wrapped on pallets. The General Accounting Office cited over $8.8 billion as unaccounted for by the authority.

During this same time President Bush and Congress passed a new bankruptcy bill to keep deadbeat dads and celebrity millionaires from welching on their debts. I guess it doesn’t cover deadbeat billionaires!

No comments: