WP: U.S. Won't Turn Over Data for Iraq Audits

[Trajan]

U.S. Won't Turn Over Data for Iraq Audits

By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 16, 2004; Page A16

UNITED NATIONS, July 15 -- The Bush administration is withholding information from U.N.-sanctioned auditors examining more than $1 billion in contracts awarded to Halliburton Co. and other companies in Iraq without competitive bidding, the head of the international auditing board said Thursday.

Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, the U.N. representative to the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB), said that the United States has repeatedly rebuffed his requests since March to turn over internal audits, including one that covered three contracts valued at $1.4 billion that were awarded to Halliburton, a Texas-based oil services firm. It has also failed to produced a list of other companies that have obtained contracts without having to compete.

The Security Council established the IAMB, which includes representatives from the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, in May 2003 to ensure that Iraq's oil revenue would be managed responsibly during the U.S. occupation. The council extended its mandate in July so it could continue to monitor the use of Iraq's oil revenue after the United States transferred political authority to the Iraqis in June.

The dispute comes as the board released an initial audit by the accounting firm KPMG on Thursday that sharply criticized the U.S.-led coalition's management of billions of dollars in Iraqi oil revenue. The audit also raised concerns about lax financial controls in some Iraqi ministries, citing poor bookkeeping and duplicate payments of salaries to government employees.

-snip-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A53164-2004Jul15?language=printer

[Citizen Daryl]

1. Outrage fatigue. n/t

[SpiralHawk]

2. Free clue for Kerry/Edwards

Time to JUMP ALL OVER the lack of accountability in the BushCo Administration.

They are accountable for nothing. Make it an issue. Now.

[KC21304]

3. In other words the Bush administration tells the UN

to go Cheney itself.

[Don_G]

4. It's A Safe Bet

That ShrubCo won't turn over any documents relating to the Iraqi oil revenues or the contracts awarded by the coalition.

Kerry might think about releasing that information as part of his Campaign Platform promising more openness in the government.

[Skinner]

5. This is a duplicate.

Also, the story is three days old.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=689111