Senator Wyden Calls for Immediate Disclosure on Non-Competitive Bids for Iraqi Reconstruction

An especially interesting point was made during this speech Senator Wyden gave before Congress:

It is also becoming increasingly clear that U.S. taxpayers will shoulder much of the cost of America’s involvement in Iraq. This week civil administrator Paul Bremer said that just over the next six months, Iraqi oil revenues will be $2 billion short of what will be needed to finance occupation and reconstruction. U.S. taxpayers will fund the difference – for these six months, and for the foreseeable future. Yet the rationale behind much of the cost is unknown. Companies have been given contracts for work in Iraq with little or no competition, and no explanation. The process is not only suspect, it’s historically financially unsound.

So, the U.S. is skimming oil revenues from Iraq, as I had long suspected. This was the first hard evidence I’ve read of this. The war really was about oil, and the Bush Administration underestimated the costs of occupation; a losing investment.

Where are all the far right-wing anti-tax wackos? Why aren’t you all up in arms about this? If you hate paying taxes so much, why aren’t you fuming mad at your President?

Another quotable from the speech:

…my colleagues and I detailed the daily reports of closed-bid and no-bid contracts being awarded for Iraqi reconstruction. They ranged from a $2 million deal to rebuild Iraqi schools, to a $600 million mother lode of a contract to reinvent Iraq’s infrastructure.

That’s right tax-haters, the Bush Administration gave out over $600 million of your hard-earned tax dollars without any justification! Your administration is giving money away behind closed doors and answering to no one for doing so!

I don’t get it. Why do conservatives allow this happen?

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