Hi folks. I wanted to come here and let you know that we are doing what we can to highlight today's huge story
in the New York Times that a Bush Administration-mandated government web site posted information that served as a guide to building an atom bomb.
Congressional Republicans were so anxious to prove the President's case for war that they pushed for the release of documents which could have served as primers for the construction of a nuclear weapon.
We can clearly see how this Republican Leadership is failing in its pledge to protect our nation and undermining our chances for success in Iraq.
Republicans constantly attack reporters for writing about national security programs, saying that our national security is being undermined. Where is their outrage now?
There is also another big story in the New York Times today, which is reporting how Congress recently "tucked away" in the recently signed Defense Authorization bill a provision which will eliminate the office of Mr. Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction by October of 2007.
This was a bill which was more than 1000 pages long. And the Republicans basically snuck in a tiny pink slip in this massive bill, which they rammed through the House in less than 5 hours, firing that one government official, who has done more than perhaps any other in policing waste, fraud and abuse among contractors in Iraq.
Stuart Bowen's office has exposed the waste, fraud, and abuse making this war more costly and more dangerous both for our troops and for Iraqi civilians. His ongoing work is critical to our remaining chances for success in Iraq.
The Republicans leadership has shown how uncommitted it is to providing any form of accountability in Iraq.
They have decided to arbitrarily terminate Mr. Bowen's organization.
They willfully refuse to recognize what the American people have long understood: that accountability in Iraq is critical if we want to protect our troops and give them a chance to succeed.
It is long past time for this Congress to institute a modern-day Truman Commission to oversee the war which I called for in May of 2005.
At home and abroad, oversight is not a priority for this Republican, rubber-stamp Congress. It cares far more about backing the President than it does about asking tough questions. It's the wrong way to govern if you really care about national security.
Just par for the course for this rubber stamp Congress which has no problems playing politics with our national security.
Just few more days until we can elect a new Congress which will no longer serve as a rubber stamp for the most corrupt Administration in our modern history.
Time for a Congress which no longer will play political games with our nation's security.
Keep up the great work everyone. - LMS
BACKROUND: KEY FINDINGS FROM STUART BOWEN ON CORRUPTION IN IRAQ
Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, currently supervises 55 auditors and inspectors in Iraq, and has issued approximately 300 reports since the war began. Among Mr. Bowen's most important findings have been the following:
Iraq is losing $4 billion a year to corruption. "Corruption in Iraq is endemic. We call it a pandemic," said Stuart Bowen, special inspector general to Iraq, before a Senate committee in August. "[A]ccording to the inspector general, one recent poll found that one-third of Iraqis said they had to pay bribes to get basic services." [Pierre Thomas, ABC News, "Corruption Rivals Violence As Threat to Iraq," August 2, 2006]
Inspector general audit find $300 million taxpayer dollars spent on "suspect" reconstruction projects. U.S. investigators identified more than $300 million of tax dollars that have been spent on reconstruction projects that are suspect. As of August 2006, 82 investigations were underway looking into American government officials and contractors working in Iraq, who have been accused of overcharging for projects and pocketing kickbacks. [Pierre Thomas, ABC News, "Corruption Rivals Violence As Threat to Iraq," August 2, 2006]