Murray Calls Pentagon Loss Of 190,000 Weapons In Iraq Unacceptable

U.S Senate Leader Senator Reid ^ | August 6, 2007 | U.S Senate Leader Senator Reid

[mdittmar]

(SEATTLE, WA) -- The release of a Government Accountability Office report showing that the Department of Defense cannot account for more than 190,000 AK-47 rifles and pistols given to the Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005 is another in a long list of signs pointing toward the need for accountability and a new direction in Iraq.  With the security situation deteriorating and billions of dollars being poured into the war, the time for change is now.

Senator Patty Murray, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said:

“This troubling report is yet another example of how the Bush Administration has mismanaged the war in Iraq.  We’re spending more than $10 billion a month in Iraq, but far too often this money isn’t helping to solve the many problems facing our troops and the Iraqi people.  In case after case after case, money is being wasted or lost, and no one is being held accountable.  

“But there is an even more troubling suggestion in this report than waste of money and supplies.   The thought that weapons American taxpayers purchased could now be in the hands of those attacking our troops is unconscionable.  

“Hopefully our Republican colleagues will listen to their constituents this month, read this report and finally stop blindly following the President’s misguided policy in Iraq when they return to Washington, DC next month.  We need a new direction in Iraq.  Our troops, their families and every American deserve better than this.” 

###

BUSH ADMINISTRATION FAILURES HAVE PUT OUR TROOPS IN HARM’S WAY

According to news reports today, the Defense Department is unable to account for roughly 190,000 rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces. These reports are only the latest in a series of failures by the Bush Administration to adequately keep weapons out of the hands of insurgents.

• According to a Recent General Accountability Office Report, 30 Percent of the Weapons Given to Iraqi Security Forces Since 2004 Are Unaccounted For. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report claiming military officials do not know what happened to 30 percent of the weapons the US military distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through the early part of this year as part of an effort to train and equip troops. The report specifically found that the Department of Defense lost track of 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005. It is possible the weapons could be used against American troops. [Washington Post, 8/6/07; GAO Report 07-711]
• GAO Report Found that the Department of Defense Does Not Have a Centralized System for Tracking Equipment Going to Iraqi Forces. Neither the Pentagon nor the Multinational Force-Iraq can fully account for receipt of U.S. equipment by Iraqi security forces because of a failure to maintain a centralized recordkeeping system. They also failed to consistently collect records on when equipment was received, how much was delivered and which Iraqi unit was receiving what pieces of equipment. According to Defense officials the program used to pay for this equipment, the Iraq Train-and-Equip Program, did not go through traditional training and assistance program procedures. As such, the funds used to procure the equipment were not subject to DOD accountability regulations. [GAO Report 07-711] 
• In March, the GAO Faulted the Defense Department for Not Securing Iraq’s Munitions Facilities. According to the General Accounting Office, insufficient troop levels in Iraq left thousands and possibly millions of tons of conventional munitions unsecured or in the hands of insurgent groups after the 2003 invasion. Leaving them unsecured allowed widespread looting of weapons and explosives used to make roadside bombs that cause the bulk of U.S. casualties. [Washington Post, 3/23/07; GAO Report 07-639T] 
• An October 2006 Report Found the Military Could Not Account For Thousands of Weapons Issued to Iraqi Forces.  According to a report issued by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, 13,180 semiautomatic pistols were unaccounted for. In addition, the report also found that U.S. officials in Iraq could not account for 751 M1F assault rifles and 99 MP5 machine guns. Most of the weapons were purchased with U.S. government money through the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund as part of a plan to equip Iraqi security forces. [Army Times, 11/13/06]

[mdittmar]

Hey harry, just a "mom in tennis shoes.

Don't try to hide behind her skirt,get some balls.

[Concerto in D]

She’s so pathetically dumb she can’t even count that high.

[M Kehoe]

Poor Patty Murray, she was born with a silver spoon in her brain. Kinda reminds me of Olympia Snowe.

5.56mm

[llevrok]

She’s so pathetically dumb she can’t even count that high.

Routinely voted by Capital Hill legislative staffers as the dumbest member of Congress.

[donmeaker]

Say there were 6 million AK-47s in Iraq (probably a lot more but that was once the size of their army).

That is around 3 percent. Considering the waste in the US federal budget is a lot more than that....

And an AK out of government hands is just as likely to be in good hands as bad, in fact more likely, as there are probably a lot more good people than bad people. Just as good folks can change sides and become corrupt murderers, bad guys can see the futility of continuing to fight for murderers and bury the gun in the back yard for a later emergency. The AK is pretty resistant to that kind of abuse.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

S.O.P. for a govt that spends our tax dollars like we’re an endless cash-cow. As far as I can tell, the Federal Govt does nothing well, we’d all be better off if most of the things govt does become privatized, where it is faster, sleeker, and you can fire incompetents.

[DakotaRed]

I hope constituents tell her it is totally unacceptable that she did not cast a vote on the Protect America Act, while Cantwell voted NO!

I know neither ever get my vote.

[Ceebass]

If the democrats opposed the terrorists to the same degree they oppose Bush, we would have had the victory parade several years ago.

[Scotsman will be Free]

I suspect that a large number of those weapons are “war trophies” and have made it back to our shores.

[labette]

I doubt we actually went out on the open market and purchased AK-47s to give away.

Most likely, we helped ourselves to some of Saddam’s since he didn’t need them any more.

We probably did the right thing, i.e. arming our “friends” as quickly as possible with whatever was available.

[VOA]

Senator Patty Murray, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said:

...probably not a d-mn thing about the M-16s that Bill Clinton gave
to the "police" of The Palestinian Authority...
but ended up as nice props in many news clips about the oppressed Palestinians.

Of course, she might not be too worried about those guns being
used to kill Israeli soldiers and civilians.

[taxcontrol]

... rifles and pistols given to the Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005 ...

So if they were given to the Iraqis ... why does the Pentagon have to account for them?

[goodnesswins]

WA ping

[bigfootbob]

What she didn’t say it was Bush’s fault like she did about the Milwaukee bridge collapse? It must have been a reporter oversight. It is such an honor to be her constituent.

[org.whodat]

I doubt we actually went out on the open market and purchased AK-47s to give away.

No. they really went out and bought ten's of thousands of new one's. You remember, those really brilliant captains and major were shown on TV driving tanks over thousand of ak's they had capture. I think I would collect some of the cost out of the new ones from those officers pay.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Patty Murray...Washington States Idiot Supreme!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

I’m amazed the dork didn’t say Bush caused bridges to collapse in Iraq!

[Billthedrill]

OK, Patty, which is it? Were the firearms “lost” or were they given to the Iraqis? It’s either one or the other but it can’t be both.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

I think Pate has stood out in the rain to long...She has waterlogged thinking....

[jonrick46]

Weapons were given to the Iraqi forces we have been training to help us fight the insurgents. Now I ask Osama Moma Murray, what did she expect these forces to train with? Wooden rifles?

If Osama Moma wanted the Iraqies to have perfect inventory control, they would have to have computers to do the tracking. Otherwise they would have to use written ledgers. In that case, it would all be in Arabic which would not be good enough for Osama Moma. She can’t read Arabic.

Osama Moma Murray has been in Washington D.C. too long. Being exposed to Left Wing politics as long as she has, shows the toxic results. Left Wing politics have infected her rational thought. I doubt if there is much brain activity left. She is a mind-numbed robot of the left.