posted on August 7, 2007 03:17:42 PM new
Newsday.com
Pentagon misplaces 190,000 Iraqi weapons
THE WASHINGTON POST
August 7, 2007
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, a new government report shows, raising fears that some of the weapons have fallen into the hands of insurgents fighting U.S. forces.
The report from the Government Accountability Office indicates that U.S. military officials do not know what happened to 30 percent of the weapons the United States distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through early this year as part of an effort to train and equip the troops. The highest previous estimate of unaccounted-for weapons was 14,000, in a report issued last year on Iraqi reconstruction.
The United States has spent $19.2 billion trying to develop Iraqi security forces since 2003, the GAO said, including at least $2.8 billion to buy and deliver equipment. But the GAO said weapons distribution was haphazard, rushed and failed to follow set procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005, when security training was led by Gen. David Petraeus, who now commands all U.S. forces in Iraq.
The Pentagon did not dispute the findings, saying it had begun its own inquiry. While controls have tightened since 2005, the inability to track weapons makes it nearly impossible for the U.S. military to know whether it is fighting an enemy equipped by American taxpayers.
One senior Pentagon official acknowledged that some of the weapons probably were being used against U.S. forces. He cited an Iraqi brigade in Fallujah that quickly dissolved in September 2004, turning its weapons against the Americans.
Rachel Stohl, senior analyst at the Center for Defense Information who has studied small-arms trade and received Pentagon briefings on the issue said insurgents frequently use small-arms fire to force military convoys to move in a particular direction - often toward roadside bombs that target troops and vehicles.
She said the Bush administration frequently complains that Iran and Syria are supplying insurgents but has paid little attention to whether U.S. military errors inadvertently play a role. "We know there is seepage, and very little is being done to address the problem," she said.
The GAO is studying the financing and weapons sources of insurgent groups, but that report will not be made public. "All of that information is classified," said Joseph Christoff, GAO director of international affairs and trade.
In an unusual move, the train-and-equip program for Iraqi forces is being managed by the Pentagon. The Defense Department said this allowed for greater flexibility, but as of last month, it was unable to tell the GAO what accountability procedures, if any, apply to arms distributed to Iraqi forces, the report said.
The GAO found the military was consistently unable to collect supporting documents to confirm when equipment was received, the quantities delivered and the Iraqi units receiving it. It reached the estimate of 190,000 missing arms - 110,000 AK-47s and 80,000 pistols - by comparing property records of the Multi-National Security Transition Command for Iraq against records Petraeus maintained of arms and equipment he ordered.
In all cases, gaps between the two records were enormous. Petraeus reported about 185,000 AK-47 rifles, 170,000 pistols, 215,000 pieces of body armor and 140,000 helmets issued to Iraqi security forces from June 2004 through September 2005. But the property books had records for 75,000 AK-47 rifles, 90,000 pistols, 80,000 pieces of body armor and 25,000 helmets.
posted on August 7, 2007 04:52:40 PM newThe Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005
Since these weapons were GIVEN to the Iraqi's, it then became the Iraqi's responsibility to keep track of them, not the Pentagon's.
. It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.George S. Patton
The GAO quoted officials as saying the agency responsible for handling weapons distribution was too short-staffed to record information on individual items given to Iraqi forces.
Accountability procedures also could not be fully implemented because of the need to equip Iraqi forces rapidly for combat operations, the GAO found.
"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on August 7, 2007 05:51:07 PM new
"Since these weapons were GIVEN to the Iraqi's, it then became the Iraqi's responsibility to keep track of them, not the Pentagon's."
Bear, don't you think we had a responsibility to keep track of these and try to prevent them from being used on our own forces? Something as serious as distributing weapons should be done carefully.
posted on August 7, 2007 06:06:40 PM new
What I'd like to know is exactly which anti-war liberal requested this report from the GAO to begin with.
THEN there is also the possibility that this is just the beginning of an out-and-out attack to make General Petraeus look bad - because they're worried his report might be TOO positive. LOL
After all, they're either saying they don't CARE what he says in his report....or they're worried that his report might make them all look like fools. So they're starting a smear campaign. Or trying to get a new conspiracy started. lo
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on August 7, 2007 06:07:00 PM new
I'm not Bear, but NO, how do you think that would be done in a war zone.
BTW, why are you switching between one ID and the other, on the same thread, one above the other. As mingo, would say, there is no law against it, but what the ----?
posted on August 7, 2007 07:07:46 PM new
"BTW, why are you switching between one ID and the other, on the same thread, one above the other. As mingo, would say, there is no law against it, but what the ----?
Bill, I am not doing it on purpose. I changed my ID (at request of my partner)but forgot to use the new ID in that post.
"But the GAO said weapons distribution was haphazard, rushed and failed to follow set procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005, when security training was led by Gen. David Petraeus, who now commands all U.S. forces in Iraq."
That quote shows there are set procedures for this type of thing. There are missing and incomplete records. The Pentagon concurs with the GAO, so apparently there is a responsibility to keep track of these weapons.
posted on August 7, 2007 07:18:48 PM new
LOL....YEP, just as I suspected. A new SMEAR campaign to discredit Gen. Petraeus.
tsk tsk tsk
You and your ilk are going to have to do better than THAT. He's a well respected man from BOTH sides of the aisle....just not the radical left. lol
While controls have tightened since 2005, the inability to track weapons makes it nearly impossible for the U.S. military to know whether it is fighting an enemy equipped by American taxpayers.
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Desperation often causes many to get all excited when 'they have no proof' they're being used by our enemies. lol But liberal MSM again has to make it sound like THEY KNOW what no one else does.
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When NOT written by the washington POST....we can more clearly see the FULL picture.
From the BBC:
The report does not say it knows what has happened to the weapons - only that there are gaping holes in the records.
Of course, the Pentagon was under huge pressure from early on to try to achieve quick results in its programme to train and equip the Iraqi forces.
These faltered on more than one occasion and tracking what happened to the weaponry may not have been the top priority for limited resources.
In barely more than a month now, the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, and the US ambassador, Ryan Crocker, are meant to give their assessment of how the latest US strategy for the country is working.
This latest report may well provide more ammunition for the sceptics.
Gen Petraeus arrived in Iraq earlier this year with a huge reputation, not least because he was credited with turning round the training programme on his previous assignment to the country.
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The weapons disappeared from records between June 2004 and September 2005, as the military struggled to re-build the disbanded Iraqi forces from scratch.
Brigadier General Kevin Bergner, spokesman for the US-led military in Iraq, said the Americans were working hard with their Iraqi partners to improve accountability and increase the security of weapons.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
"We are working very hard with the government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces at every level to increase the accountability and to increase the security of the weapons that are provided to the Iraqi forces," he said.
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posted on August 8, 2007 01:30:15 AM new US commander says 190,000 missing US guns went to Iraqi forces
Tue Aug 7, 7:42 PM ET
yahoo news - AFP
US commander in Iraq David Petraeus said Tuesday he believes 190,000 unaccounted-for pistols and AK-47 assault rifles were issued to Iraqi police and soldiers.
"We believe those weapons all certainly were given to Iraqi units," he told Fox News Radio.
However, the US military has no record of where they went, he conceded, according to an advance transcript of his interview with the Alan Colmes show to be broadcast later Tuesday.
"We weren't going to stay there in the dark and make guys do a serial-number inventory and sign them up and that is what happened," the general said.
A July 31 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the military "cannot fully account for about 110,000 Soviet-designed AK-47 assault rifles, 80,000 pistols, 135,000 items of body armor and 115,000 helmets reported as issued to Iraqi forces."
The weapons disappeared from records between June 2004 and September 2005, as the military struggled to rebuild the disbanded Iraqi forces from scratch amid increasing attacks from Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias.
Petraeus confirmed the conclusions of the GAO, the investigative arm of the US Congress.
"Those units did have advisors, but they did not have the property book officer, they did not have the property book records that we would associate with normal procedures and yet they were units that needed to go into the fight. The Iraqi government was under enormous pressure," he said.
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"While the democratic party complains about everything THIS President does to protect our Nation": "What would a Democrat president have done at that point?"
"Apparently, the answer is: Sit back and wait for the next terrorist attack."
posted on August 8, 2007 08:14:36 AM new
So the U.S. "lost" some weapons...they disappeared in Iraq...
So have
B I L L I O N S
of taxpayer's money...POOF!...gone...no record...no accountability...no responsibility...no planning...in just one recorded instance NINE million simply went up in smoke....vanished...
But that's OK the next two or three or four generations can pay for it.....
the next two or three or four generations can pay for it.....