In another signature Bush effort to boost the American economy, the Pentagon is selling surplus military equipment for pennies on the dollar to the general public. Several government inspectors purchased items potentially valuable to terrorists including body armor, antenna used to track aircraft, and a digital signal converter used in naval surveillance. The GAO report said thousands of items that should have been destroyed were sold to the general public.
At least 2,669 sensitive military items were sold to 79 buyers in 216 sales transactions from November 2005 to June 2006.
"DOD has not enforced security controls for preventing sensitive excess military equipment from release to the public," the report concluded. "GAO was able to purchase these items because controls broke down at virtually every step in the excess property turn-in and disposal process."
Christopher Shays, R-Conn, had this to say "During previous hearings we learned DOD was a bargain basement for would-be terrorists due to lax security screening of excess military equipment," Shays said in a statement Friday. "Based on GAO's most recent undercover investigation it looks like the store is still open."
Yes, the store for items of intentional harm, death and destruction is still open. Business is brisk with rosy projections for growth.
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