Political Forums

Red · 08-25-2007, 04:07 PM

Wow this story is a clear example of certain people and companies in the US getting the green light to commit criminal acts. Notice a sister company of Haliburtan is involved in some of the fraud cases. I think the US military should hold an inquiry asap.

Story: Cases show fraud exposers have been vilified, fired, or detained for weeks

John David Mercer / AP
Robert Isakson filed a whistleblower suit against a contractor in 2004 alleging the company bilked the U.S. government out of tens of millions of dollars. A judge later threw out a $10-million ruling in his favor.

Updated: 2:57 p.m. ET Aug. 25, 2007
One after another, the men and women who have stepped forward to report corruption in the massive effort to rebuild Iraq have been vilified, fired and demoted.

Or worse.

For daring to report illegal arms sales, Navy veteran Donald Vance says he was imprisoned by the American military in a security compound outside Baghdad and subjected to harsh interrogation methods.

There were times, huddled on the floor in solitary confinement with that head-banging music blaring dawn to dusk and interrogators yelling the same questions over and over, that Vance began to wish he had just kept his mouth shut.

He had thought he was doing a good and noble thing when he started telling the FBI about the guns and the land mines and the rocket-launchers — all of them being sold for cash, no receipts necessary, he said. He told a federal agent the buyers were Iraqi insurgents, American soldiers, State Department workers, and Iraqi embassy and ministry employees.

The seller, he claimed, was the Iraqi-owned company he worked for, Shield Group Security Co.

“It was a Wal-Mart for guns,” he says. “It was all illegal and everyone knew it.”

So Vance says he blew the whistle, supplying photos and documents and other intelligence to an FBI agent in his hometown of Chicago because he didn’t know whom to trust in Iraq.

For his trouble, he says, he got 97 days in Camp Cropper, an American military prison outside Baghdad that once held Saddam Hussein, and he was classified a security detainee.

Also held was colleague Nathan Ertel, who helped Vance gather evidence documenting the sales, according to a federal lawsuit both have filed in Chicago, alleging they were illegally imprisoned and subjected to physical and mental interrogation tactics “reserved for terrorists and so-called enemy combatants.”

No noble outcomes
Corruption has long plagued Iraq reconstruction. Hundreds of projects may never be finished, including repairs to the country’s oil pipelines and electricity system. Congress gave more than $30 billion to rebuild Iraq, and at least $8.8 billion of it has disappeared, according to a government reconstruction audit.

Despite this staggering mess, there are no noble outcomes for those who have blown the whistle, according to a review of such cases by The Associated Press.

“If you do it, you will be destroyed,” said William Weaver, professor of political science at the University of Texas-El Paso and senior advisor to the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition.

“Reconstruction is so rife with corruption. Sometimes people ask me, ‘Should I do this?’ And my answer is no. If they’re married, they’ll lose their family. They will lose their jobs. They will lose everything,” Weaver said.

They have been fired or demoted, shunned by colleagues, and denied government support in whistleblower lawsuits filed against contracting firms.

The rest of the three page article: Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com

92b16vx · 08-26-2007, 06:44 AM

There's some links in my sig about this same stuff, well, not the vilifing of the whistlerblowers, but the waste that brought them to it. I saw some ridiculous BS when I was there, but the stuff I have been informed of since leaving is a hundred times worse.

Drnaline · 08-26-2007, 09:42 AM

Discusting.

Red · 08-26-2007, 11:09 AM

I hope this issue is dealt with, it's time to hold these private companies accountable preferably in a court of law. What a waste of taxpayer's dollars. Shameful and shocking.

08-25-2007, 04:07 PM	#1
Red Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 862	Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified. Wow this story is a clear example of certain people and companies in the US getting the green light to commit criminal acts. Notice a sister company of Haliburtan is involved in some of the fraud cases. I think the US military should hold an inquiry asap. Story: Cases show fraud exposers have been vilified, fired, or detained for weeks John David Mercer / AP Robert Isakson filed a whistleblower suit against a contractor in 2004 alleging the company bilked the U.S. government out of tens of millions of dollars. A judge later threw out a $10-million ruling in his favor. Updated: 2:57 p.m. ET Aug. 25, 2007 One after another, the men and women who have stepped forward to report corruption in the massive effort to rebuild Iraq have been vilified, fired and demoted. Or worse. For daring to report illegal arms sales, Navy veteran Donald Vance says he was imprisoned by the American military in a security compound outside Baghdad and subjected to harsh interrogation methods. There were times, huddled on the floor in solitary confinement with that head-banging music blaring dawn to dusk and interrogators yelling the same questions over and over, that Vance began to wish he had just kept his mouth shut. He had thought he was doing a good and noble thing when he started telling the FBI about the guns and the land mines and the rocket-launchers — all of them being sold for cash, no receipts necessary, he said. He told a federal agent the buyers were Iraqi insurgents, American soldiers, State Department workers, and Iraqi embassy and ministry employees. The seller, he claimed, was the Iraqi-owned company he worked for, Shield Group Security Co. “It was a Wal-Mart for guns,” he says. “It was all illegal and everyone knew it.” So Vance says he blew the whistle, supplying photos and documents and other intelligence to an FBI agent in his hometown of Chicago because he didn’t know whom to trust in Iraq. For his trouble, he says, he got 97 days in Camp Cropper, an American military prison outside Baghdad that once held Saddam Hussein, and he was classified a security detainee. Also held was colleague Nathan Ertel, who helped Vance gather evidence documenting the sales, according to a federal lawsuit both have filed in Chicago, alleging they were illegally imprisoned and subjected to physical and mental interrogation tactics “reserved for terrorists and so-called enemy combatants.” No noble outcomes Corruption has long plagued Iraq reconstruction. Hundreds of projects may never be finished, including repairs to the country’s oil pipelines and electricity system. Congress gave more than $30 billion to rebuild Iraq, and at least $8.8 billion of it has disappeared, according to a government reconstruction audit. Despite this staggering mess, there are no noble outcomes for those who have blown the whistle, according to a review of such cases by The Associated Press. “If you do it, you will be destroyed,” said William Weaver, professor of political science at the University of Texas-El Paso and senior advisor to the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition. “Reconstruction is so rife with corruption. Sometimes people ask me, ‘Should I do this?’ And my answer is no. If they’re married, they’ll lose their family. They will lose their jobs. They will lose everything,” Weaver said. They have been fired or demoted, shunned by colleagues, and denied government support in whistleblower lawsuits filed against contracting firms. The rest of the three page article: Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com __________________ Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy. Winston Churchhill. Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot exist. Sir. Edmund Burke. Socialism is the corruption and liberals are generally anti-liberty.

08-26-2007, 06:44 AM	#2
92b16vx Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: C.C. TX Posts: 2,360 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified. There's some links in my sig about this same stuff, well, not the vilifing of the whistlerblowers, but the waste that brought them to it. I saw some ridiculous BS when I was there, but the stuff I have been informed of since leaving is a hundred times worse. __________________ R.I.P. Micheal Nieves R.I.P. Joseph Norquist “I am concerned for the security of our great nation, not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.” — General Douglas MacArthur ...The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Immigration Gumballs. Having an avatar that says "I suck" Photoshopped onto a picture of Ron Paul makes you look like a third grade douchebag.

08-26-2007, 09:42 AM	#3
Drnaline Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: La Villa real del la Santa Fe, NM Posts: 6,498	Re: Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified. Discusting. __________________ “[A] wise and frugal government... shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.” —Thomas Jefferson

08-26-2007, 11:09 AM	#4
Red Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 862	Re: Iraq fraud whistleblowers vilified. I hope this issue is dealt with, it's time to hold these private companies accountable preferably in a court of law. What a waste of taxpayer's dollars. Shameful and shocking. __________________ Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy. Winston Churchhill. Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot exist. Sir. Edmund Burke. Socialism is the corruption and liberals are generally anti-liberty.