Posted on 06/03/2002 8:30:55 PM PDT by vannrox
By LISA HOFFMAN WASHINGTON - A $24,000 sofa and armchair; an $1,800 pillow; and $45,800 in silver and china - such accoutrements would cause little surprise if found in the abodes of the wealthy and well-known. But government auditors discovered these pricey items - and many more - not in a mansion but at Air Force and Army bases in Saudi Arabia, the rest of the Persian Gulf, Europe and the Balkans. In a just-released report, the General Accounting Office informed Congress that its auditors found a number of "seemingly unneeded expenditures" made by the Air Force and Army in 2000 and 2001. "As much as $101 million in contingency operations funds were spent on questionable expenditures" - a small fraction of the estimated $2.2 billion examined by the investigators, but troubling nonetheless, the report said. Among those were $4,600 worth of "white beach sand" for an air base in the Arabian desert and a $3,400 Sumo wrestling suit for another. The Army came in for criticism for duplicating purchases of computers and office equipment at its bases in Bosnia to the tune of $2.3 million. Rather than using equipment already there or sharing new items, four successive Army units heading for Bosnia purchased their own sets of equipment, the GAO said. That struck the auditors as particularly wasteful, given that the Army has stocked more than 2,000 computers, 865 printers, 91 copiers and "a multitude of other office equipment" in the area. However, Army officials said that differences in missions and training of the various units serving in Bosnia necessitated some of the equipment purchases. The auditors blamed Pentagon and Army superiors for failing to provide the clear guidance and strict oversight needed to rein in such practices. The Air Force was also criticized for an array of what the GAO deemed unjustified and excessive spending, including: - At al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, the service bought a $2,200 coffee table. - At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, it bought a $24,000 loveseat and arm chair and $9,800 of Halloween decorations. - At al Jaber Air Base in Saudi Arabia, the questionable spending included an $1,800 "executive high-back" pillow, a $3,000 computer tutorial titled "The Intelligent Investor," and $19,000 worth of decorative "river rock." - At various Air Force installations in the Persian Gulf region, the service bought a $35,000 golf cart, a $16,000 corporate golf membership and $5,333 in golf passes. Military experts said such recreational items can be a useful tool for building good relations with officials of a host country, whom base officers can invite for, say, a friendly round or two of golf. The GAO report said Pentagon officials generally agreed that better oversight is needed to prevent wasteful spending.
On the Net: www.gao.gov (GAO report No. 02-450)
NATIONAL
Air Force, Army chastised for princely spending
Scripps Howard News Service
May 29, 2002
As though we had any doubts. I hope that Bush is smart enought to clean house of the perfumed princes that buy or approve this junk.
We're spending an extra $80 billion on Farm Welfare and increasing the Dept of Edumakashion budget by 60%, and you're whining about this piddly sum? Suckers! DUHbya 2004!!
I guess when the numbers amount to billions, it means nothing, as we cannot relate to it. Uh-huh.
Although, to be fair, when he told our servicemen/women "help is on the way", he didn't say when the help would actually arrive!
As to other depts, the article only discussed military abuse. I remember when the story of sumo wrestler suits came up, and it seemed pretty silly then. I also remember that at least some of the purchases were made with donations, and much else was "re-appropiated" by savvy supply masters.
The farm bill is a payoff to several constituents, and I can't understand why Bush fought for increased Education spending. It makes no sense for any group but teachers and the unions. To improve education in America, cut the budgets and get rid of the lackeys that don't work. Cut the budgets and increase teacher power.
Makes you wonder about that line from the movie Independence Day: "You didn't think they actually spent ten thousand dollars for a hammer and thirty thousand for a toilet seat, did you?"
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