The Congressional General Accounting Office (GAO) published a report yesterday outlining one more area of governmental waste. Over the years the GAO has proven to be a credible agency, one of the few agencies of any branch of the federal government that has done so. This agency was created in 1921 by the Federal Budget and Accounting Act of that year. Since that time, the GAO has provided unabashed reports of federal spending, including reports detailing outrageous governmental waste.
The GAO's report from yesterday outlines yet another monumental waste of taxpayer money, and how the United States government, in the form of either our President or the Armed Forces, is doing nothing to stop this waste. In fact (and AS USUAL) the government is actually compounding the waste, already several million dollars strong, by more millions of dollars. Even though the waste has been noted, and could be easily corrected, it is instead being increased at least two fold, and counting.
In 2009, the US military GAVE our "ally" Pakistan 55 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) jamming devices. Fifty-five more were included as part of the gift. The second group of fifty-five IED jamming devices remain here in the United States. Why? Because the first fifty-five are currently stored in Pakistani warehouses, where they have been since received there in 2009. Incidentally, the United States (read TAXPAYERS) is paying the storage fees that have accrued since 2009. According to the GAO, the Pakistani government has REFUSED TO USE THIS EQUIPMENT because it came from the United States. That refusal is even more steadfast since the Son of Laden was killed there last year, and because the United States military continues to violate Pakistani airspace at will to carryout unilateral military missions, including the drone attacks that continue to claim innocent lives as well as those of the militants.
The Pakistani government is of course free to do what it wants with American aid. It is not surprising that Pakistan does not want to use American aid, as they are only nominally our "ally," as has always been the case. So it is not outrageous that Pakistan does not want our supplies and aid. The OUTRAGEOUS thing is that the US government is still contemplating shipping the other fifty-five units to Pakistan. Even more outrageous, the US government intends to spend some $86 million dollars MORE to send more IED jammers and mine-clearing vehicles to Pakistan. Remember, the Pakistanis have not used the first $23 million dollars worth of aid from 2009. Why on earth are we sending MORE UNWANTED AID to that nation?!
It is a great insult to the American people, to American soldiers (who are making poverty wages), and to the Pakistanis as well that this aid is still in the works. First, the American taxpayers are already being bilked at the rate of billions a year, with all the bailouts and such. The American soldiers are being cheated out of pay raises and other benefits because the military budget is being wasted on this project. Finally, the Pakistanis do not want our aid and are rightfully upset over the continued violation of both their airspace and their sovereign territory.
Why does not our President, Commander-In-Chief Obama, put the nix on this aid package? Why do not the executive level military commanders put an end to this farce? The only people benefiting from this deal are the manufacturers of these machines. They will continue to pour out this stuff and the military (with OUR TAXES) will continue to pay rather premium prices for the hardware. If it has not happened already, there is also the great possibility that Pakistani authorities, not wanting to use the machinery themselves, will begin selling it to the highest bidder. I would not be totally surprised to learn someday that our military PAID Pakistan to "buy back" this hardware. Would you?
I praise the GAO for providing this report in spite of the fact that GAO employees could not have won any friends with its publication. I hope that our Congress will have the character and fortitude to stand up to the military machine and stop any further aid to Pakistan. The Pakistanis have not proven to be trustworthy allies, nor do they WANT to be considered US allies by the Muslim world, for obvious reasons. That is their choice. The ludicrous thing is to try to force this aid down their collective throat. They do not want the aid, are not using it, and may sell it to forces unfriendly to the United States. I call on the US government to do the right thing by the American people, our fighting men and women, and the government and people of Pakistan, and stop wasting any more equipment or taxpayer money where it is not wanted. This is not a very hard decision...wouldn't you agree?
Info source: http://news.yahoo.com/millions-dollars-u-gear-combat-ieds-wasted-pakistan-152538169--abc-news-topstories.html
The GAO's report from yesterday outlines yet another monumental waste of taxpayer money, and how the United States government, in the form of either our President or the Armed Forces, is doing nothing to stop this waste. In fact (and AS USUAL) the government is actually compounding the waste, already several million dollars strong, by more millions of dollars. Even though the waste has been noted, and could be easily corrected, it is instead being increased at least two fold, and counting.
In 2009, the US military GAVE our "ally" Pakistan 55 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) jamming devices. Fifty-five more were included as part of the gift. The second group of fifty-five IED jamming devices remain here in the United States. Why? Because the first fifty-five are currently stored in Pakistani warehouses, where they have been since received there in 2009. Incidentally, the United States (read TAXPAYERS) is paying the storage fees that have accrued since 2009. According to the GAO, the Pakistani government has REFUSED TO USE THIS EQUIPMENT because it came from the United States. That refusal is even more steadfast since the Son of Laden was killed there last year, and because the United States military continues to violate Pakistani airspace at will to carryout unilateral military missions, including the drone attacks that continue to claim innocent lives as well as those of the militants.
The Pakistani government is of course free to do what it wants with American aid. It is not surprising that Pakistan does not want to use American aid, as they are only nominally our "ally," as has always been the case. So it is not outrageous that Pakistan does not want our supplies and aid. The OUTRAGEOUS thing is that the US government is still contemplating shipping the other fifty-five units to Pakistan. Even more outrageous, the US government intends to spend some $86 million dollars MORE to send more IED jammers and mine-clearing vehicles to Pakistan. Remember, the Pakistanis have not used the first $23 million dollars worth of aid from 2009. Why on earth are we sending MORE UNWANTED AID to that nation?!
It is a great insult to the American people, to American soldiers (who are making poverty wages), and to the Pakistanis as well that this aid is still in the works. First, the American taxpayers are already being bilked at the rate of billions a year, with all the bailouts and such. The American soldiers are being cheated out of pay raises and other benefits because the military budget is being wasted on this project. Finally, the Pakistanis do not want our aid and are rightfully upset over the continued violation of both their airspace and their sovereign territory.
Why does not our President, Commander-In-Chief Obama, put the nix on this aid package? Why do not the executive level military commanders put an end to this farce? The only people benefiting from this deal are the manufacturers of these machines. They will continue to pour out this stuff and the military (with OUR TAXES) will continue to pay rather premium prices for the hardware. If it has not happened already, there is also the great possibility that Pakistani authorities, not wanting to use the machinery themselves, will begin selling it to the highest bidder. I would not be totally surprised to learn someday that our military PAID Pakistan to "buy back" this hardware. Would you?
I praise the GAO for providing this report in spite of the fact that GAO employees could not have won any friends with its publication. I hope that our Congress will have the character and fortitude to stand up to the military machine and stop any further aid to Pakistan. The Pakistanis have not proven to be trustworthy allies, nor do they WANT to be considered US allies by the Muslim world, for obvious reasons. That is their choice. The ludicrous thing is to try to force this aid down their collective throat. They do not want the aid, are not using it, and may sell it to forces unfriendly to the United States. I call on the US government to do the right thing by the American people, our fighting men and women, and the government and people of Pakistan, and stop wasting any more equipment or taxpayer money where it is not wanted. This is not a very hard decision...wouldn't you agree?
Info source: http://news.yahoo.com/millions-dollars-u-gear-combat-ieds-wasted-pakistan-152538169--abc-news-topstories.html
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