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Wartime Contracting Panel Seals Records for Next 20 Years
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Established by Congress to investigate and expose government waste, the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan has decided to not reveal its volumes of materials to the public for another two decades.

After three years of work, the commission officially shut down last week, having concluded that the U.S. misspent between $31 billion and $60 billion in contracting for services in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But it won’t allow its records to be opened for public review at the National Archives until 2031, because some of the documents contain “sensitive information,” according to one official.

Steven Aftergood, an expert on government secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists, told The Wall Street Journal that the 20-year term “seems like a long period of time, particularly for a commission whose whole purpose is to improve accountability and expose waste.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff

Panel's War-Waste Records Sealed as Work Ends (by Nathan Hodge, Wall Street Journal)

Defense Dept. Gave $431 Billion to Contractors After They were Convicted of Fraud (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Pentagon Wasted $12 Million a Day for 10 Years on War Contracting (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Majority of Pentagon Weapons Contracts Go Over Cost Estimates (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Comments

Jakedog - 10/27/2011 7:45:06 AM
does anyyone still doubt that this country is in full-blown fascism?

CR - 10/26/2011 8:40:57 PM
gee, i wonder if they were bought off to cover this up and if so how much their votes went for.

Randy Dixon - 10/26/2011 5:45:11 PM
still waiting for american justice of any kind? knock..knock.... is there anyone home at the white house or capitol? i have to remind myself most americans are in denial about our government & political leaders.

mad_about_this - 10/26/2011 1:11:01 PM
after reviewing the "authorizing statues" site regarding this commission (http://www.wartimecontracting.gov/index.php/about/statute) i'm unclear as to what authority (if any) permits this type of delay. can anyone point to a law or governing body/person(s) that grants this type of authority?

originalone - 10/26/2011 7:43:40 AM
so we don't get to see who they caught with their hand[s] in the coolie jar. is this any way to run a corrupt government? too bad that the person named "none of the above" won't step forward and allow his/her name to be put on the ballot.

leftbank - 10/25/2011 11:27:19 PM
once again barack obama absolutely, positively, unequivocally fails his 2008 campaign, america and the democratic ideal. the message here is: citizens, actually, consumers, sit down close your eyes, shut the hell up and let us do our thing... sincerely, your agent of hope and change... barack obama ps...believe everything i say in the 2012 campaign and (have no doubt) i will be the agent of change in '012. how many r's are in fat chance

Group Captain Lionel Mandrake - 10/25/2011 9:21:44 PM
between $31,000,000,000 and $60,000,000,000?? what a joke and whitewash. we are and have been spending a minimum of $12,000,000,000 per month for over ten years on afghanistan and iraq. the misspent money is probably five to ten times the amount. the truth is no one will ever know. because our "elite" won't ever get caught and can't be punished.

Denny - 10/25/2011 7:03:30 PM
how convenient for daddy warbucks

vic - 10/25/2011 5:52:41 PM
it would of been better not to of had the commission at all. it cost us how much for a three year investegation?

Thomas Paine - 10/25/2011 3:27:58 PM
the banksters who control our country like an octopus around our heralded institutions wins again? this is why people are going to force a 2nd american revolution now. there must be a better way...we need a truth commission!

Steve - 10/25/2011 2:24:14 PM
wonder who paid them to hide it. or are there too many bush-era skeletons in the cupboard. still, it is disgusting that no one of those who helped 30 - 40 billion disappear will be held accountable. the banking crisis all over again. we are being ruled by the untouchables.

Galley_Queen - 10/25/2011 10:28:34 AM
what horse merde! we always find out the truth 20 years later, when it's too late to do anything about it. what a racket.

Dan - 10/25/2011 9:54:13 AM
wonder who they are protecting?

D.G. McElrath - 10/25/2011 9:43:06 AM
slimy, disgusting, inexcusable!

Alan8 - 10/25/2011 7:35:50 AM
this is fascism: the corrupt alliance of corporate and government power against the people. here, government power is being used to protect corporations that have stolen billions of dollars from the people. in an election year, corporate power (money and slanted news) is used to help politicians from the two corporate-funded parties remain in power. one hand washes the other. the solution? stop voting for the two fascist corporate-funded parties, and start voting for parties not on the corporate payroll, like the green party or the socialists. you've been supporting this fascism with your votes. stop it.