DTN News: $8.7-Billion Missing In Iraq Funds

DTN News: $8.7-Billion Missing In Iraq Funds Source: DTN News / Reuters - Nationalpost.com (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTO, U.S. - July 28, 2010: The U.S. Department of Defense has been unable to account properly for US$8.7-billion of Iraqi oil and gas money, funds earmarked for humanitarian needs and reconstruction after the 2003 invasion, according to an audit released yesterday. The figure is nearly 96% of the US$9.1-billion the Pentagon received from the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI), said the report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). It described lax management of some of the billions of dollars designated for rebuilding war-shattered Iraq, where residents routinely complain about lack of electricity and other basic services more than seven years after the invasion. The DFI was established by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the U.S.-run body that took charge of Iraq after the invasion. It was meant to harness money from export sales of oil, petroleum products and natural gas, as well as frozen Iraqi assets and surplus funds from the UN oil for food program, and spend it for the benefit of Iraqis. The UN Security Council approved the creation of the fund. "Weaknesses in DoD's financial and management controls left it unable to properly account for $8.7-billion of the $9.1-billion in DFI funds it received for reconstruction activities in Iraq," the SIGIR report said. The report cited poor record-keeping and said most of the organizations at the Pentagon that received DFI funds failed to establish required Treasury Department accounts. "Our selective review shows the records were not always complete. For example, DoD could not provide documentation to substantiate how it spent US$2.6-billion," it said. The funds are separate from the US$53-billion allocated by Congress for rebuilding Iraq. "Iraq should take legal action to get back this huge amount of money," said Sabah al-Saedi, chairman of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, according to a report by The Associated Press. The money "should be spent for rebuilding the country and providing services for this poor nation." The government of Iraq ordered the Pentagon to return DFI funds at the end of 2007. But the audit found Department of Defense organizations that were still holding and in some cases spending DFI funds. "The breakdown in controls left the funds vulnerable to inappropriate uses and undetected loss," the report said. Iraq is almost completely reliant on oil revenues to rebuild infrastructure and housing stock devastated by years of war and economic sanctions. More than 95% of the federal budget comes from the oil sector. The audit report said the Pentagon had agreed to adopt and implement by November the inspector general's recommendations to tighten up financial controls. "SIGIR believes the identified actions, if implemented as planned, will address SIGIR's concerns," according to the report. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineering and the U.S. Central Command disputed the finding, it added. The Central Command said documents that could account for the missing money were "likely" deposited at a U.S. base but retrieving it "would require significant archival retrieval efforts." The Army Corps said it had provided auditors with US$2-billion of the funds. This is not the first time allegations of missing billions have surfaced in relation to the US-led invasion of Iraq and its aftermath, the BBC reports. In 2005, the inspector general criticized the CPA for its management of an US$8.8-billion fund that belonged to the Iraqi government. A criminal investigation led to the conviction of eight U.S. officials on bribery, fraud and money-laundering charges. *This article "$8.7-Billion Missing In Iraq Funds" & link to this article....click here. *This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: South Korea Freezes Funds For North Korea After Ship Sinking

DTN News: South Korea Freezes Funds For North Korea After Ship Sinking

Source: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - May 17, 2010: South Korea said Monday it had suspended funding for government-level exchanges with communist North Korea amid rising tensions over the sinking of a Seoul warship and other issues. The unification ministry, which is in charge of cross-border relations, said it has asked 10 ministries or other organisations to suspend the spending. Relations have worsened since an explosion sank a 1,200-tonne corvette near the disputed inter-Korean border on March 26 with the death of 46 sailors. Suspicions are growing that a North Korean torpedo was to blame. Late Saturday the South fired warning shots after two North Korean patrol craft crossed the borderline in the Yellow Sea before retreating. Further souring relations, the North last month confiscated or barred access to South Korean assets at a joint mountain resort on its east coast. It is angry at Seoul's refusal to resume cross-border tours there. And on Sunday the North's military threatened to stop South Koreans crossing the land border and to take other "substantial" measures if leaflets criticising its regime keep arriving from the South. Any border closure would deal a heavy blow to a jointly run industrial estate at Kaesong just north of the frontier. A multinational investigation into the ship sinking will report by Thursday. The government will likely brief China, Russia and Japan on the results a day beforehand, Yonhap news agency quoted a source as saying. Soon after the announcement, the source said, Seoul will send a letter to the chairman of the United Nations Security Council, the first step in seeking punishment by the world body for those responsible. Foreign ministry spokesman Kim Young-Sun confirmed that unspecified "related nations" would be briefed in advance about the investigation results. This was necessary "for our result to be acknowledged by international society as persuasive and objective". Media reports say the South is also considering cutting trade with the North and the defence ministry has said it may resume anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts across the border. Last week the unification ministry urged South Korean companies to refrain from signing new deals or supplying resources to the North. The North's military warned of "catastrophic consequences" if the South resumes the loudspeaker broadcasts. On Monday the unification ministry said it was wrong to link border crossings to the launch of propaganda leaflets by private groups. It says it has no legal power to stop the groups sending over the flyers via giant balloons.

DTN News: India Is Funding Taliban Fighters, Claims Pakistan

DTN News: India Is Funding Taliban Fighters, Claims Pakistan *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - October 27, 2009: Interior minister Rehman Malik has once again claimed that India is fomenting unrest within Pakistan through steps such as funding Taliban fighters based along the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, (R) meeting with three-member U.N. commission, Heraldo Munoz, (2nd R) , Peter Fitzgerald, (3rd L) and Marzuki Darusman (2nd L) at Pakistan's interior ministry in Islamabad July 16, 2009. A three-member U.N. commission arrived in Pakistan on Thursday to conduct an inquiry into the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Conspiracy theories abound over who was behind the suicide gun-and-bomb attack that killed Bhutto after an election campaign rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Dec. 27, 2007. Malik said he was "convinced" India is among "certain hostile agencies" that are backing the Taliban to create instability in Pakistan. Asked during an interview to a TV news channel as to who was backing the Taliban, he said: "There are certain hostile elements against Pakistan and there are certain hostile agencies which do not want Pakistan to be (stabilised)." In response to a question on whether India is among the hostile agencies, Malik said, "Yes, of course, I am convinced. I have no doubt about it. I was very open. I have given the full details. "If the interior minister of India or anyone else wants to confront me, I will be very happy to confront them because I know what I am saying," he added. Malik had said last week that Pakistan has "solid evidence" of India's alleged involvement in fomenting unrest in Balochistan province and this can be shared with Indian ministers or representatives at any forum of their choice. "I invite their interior minister or anyone else (to come to Pakistan) and I will put on record all the material about India's interference in Balochistan. I'll prove it to the world," he had said. Disclaimer statement Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied herein, DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Unless otherwise indicated, opinions expressed herein are those of the author of the page and do not necessarily represent the corporate views of DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News.

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 3 / Obama Proposes More Military Aid To Pakistan How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy - Dawn By Arshad Sharif How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy Honey, I shrunk Pakistan! The Taliban are coming, shouts By Muqtedar Khan* (NSI News Source Info) February 27, 2009: In a bid to address the rise of Al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, US President Barack Obama’s maiden budget presented in the Congress has proposed more military aid to the two countries. US military aid to Pakistan has remained a matter of intense discussion. Pakistan Army troops pass through the main market of Mingora, capital of troubled Swat valley in Pakistan on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. Taliban militants in the valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border. However, the Congressmen this time are pitching to increase non-military aid by linking it with Islamabad’s success in fight against terrorism. The budget also seeks to increase the non-military aid. When asked about the move at the Pentagon briefing, Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said: “I think it’s very important that we help resource them and develop this comprehensive strategy with Pakistan over a number of years. I’m delighted to see that kind of support in the ‘10 budget.” The budget also proposes increasing non military aid to Afghanistan. “External challenges include undertaking a responsible drawdown of troops from Iraq and focusing the appropriate resources on achieving US objectives in Afghanistan,” said the section of the budget related to the Defence Department. State Department budget also calls to increase non- military aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan to revitalise economic development and confront the resurgence of the Taliban. Pakistan duplicated ‘war on terror’ billsEven as America proposes to nearly double its aid to Pakistan, documents with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) prove that Pakistan has been presenting false and duplicate statements to the US for certain transport facilities it provided in the effort to combat terror in the region. Pakistan’s fraud was exposed during an audit carried out by the Office of the Defence Reprsentative at the US Embassy. The GAO learnt that Pakistan Navy charged USD 19,000 per vehicle per month as reimbursement for at least twenty vehicles. The report titled Securing, Stabilising and Developing Pakistan’s border area with Afghanistan, says that Pakistan has been the largest receiver of US assistance from 2002 to 2008 with 70 per cent of USD 12.3 billion aid going towards defence funds as reimbursements. “The claims appear to contain duplicative charges for a fleet of fewer than 20 passenger vehicles. Pakistans military received 8.7 billion dollars as reimbursements and assistance since 2002, an amount provided in addition to the covert funding provided for intelligence operations,” read the US Government Accountability Office Report.

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!! Part 2 / US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy

How Pakistan Milks The US And NATO!!!!

US Detects Double Billing By Pak Navy - Dawn By Arshad Sharif

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - February 26, 2009: A recent report by the US Government Accountability Office accuses Pakistan Navy of submitting duplicative charges for transport facilities it provided in aid of war against terror. The duplicative charges were detected during an audit by the Office of the Defence Reprsentative at the US Embassy which pointed out that Pakistan Navy charged $19,000 per vehicle per month as reimbursement claims for a fleet of at least twenty passenger vehicles. ‘These claims appeared to contain duplicative charges for a fleet of fewer than 20 passenger vehicles,’ says the GAO report. The report by the US raises serious questions about billions of dollars which Pakistan's Army claims it did not receive. The report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), titled ‘SECURING, STABILISING, AND DEVELOPING PAKISTAN'S BORDER AREA WITH AFGHANISTAN,’ contains details of re-imbursements made available to Pakistan's military. According to the report, Pakistan's military has been the largest recipient of US funding from 2002 to 2008 with estimated 70 per cent of $12.3 billion going to the defence coffers as reimbursements or assistance. The report reveals that of the total $12.3 billion assistance to Pakistan, Pakistan's military received $8.7 billion as reimbursements and assistance since 2002, an amount provided in addition to the covert funding provided for intelligence operations. The report by the US Government Accountability Office raises serious questions about billions of dollars which Pakistan's Army claims it did not receive. However, a two star general of Pakistan's military said, ‘Pakistan Army did not receive more than 10 per cent of the much talked about coalition support fund of $6.4 billion.’ However, if the details made public by the investigative arm of the US Congress are to be believed, there are serious differences over the payment issues between Pakistan's military and the US. The $8.7 billion payments, which the report says were made to Pakistan's military to advance the US strategic goals in Pakistan, included $1.5 billion as foreign military financing and $6.5 billion as Coalition Support Fund (CSF). CSF payments have been used since fiscal year 2002 to reimburse a broad range of Pakistani military operations, including navy support for maritime patrols and interdiction operations; air force support for combat air patrols, reconnaissance and close air support missions, airlift support, and air traffic control; army military operations in the Fata; and increased management requirements at the Joint Staff Headquarters. Reimbursements have also been made for what the report says is Operation Al Mizan, a major deployment of the Pakistani army to combat Taliban and al Qaeda. The report says Pakistan is the largest recipient of US Coalition Support Fund used to reimburse 27 coalition allies. But despite six years of US and Pakistani government efforts, al Qaeda has regenerated its ability to attack the United States and continues to maintain a safe haven in Pakistan's Fata. As Pakistan's military claims it is yet to get a full re-imbursement of its coalition support activities, the GAO report highlights reasons for holding back some of the payments pending implementation of stringent verification procedures. ‘Where audits have been completed covering about $5.7 billion in military and development assistance, GAO and the Defense and USAID inspectors general have raised accountability and oversight concerns, such as the ability of the US government to work with the Pakistani government to validate the use of US funds,’ says the report. The report says the US Defence Department did not obtain detailed documentation to verify that claimed costs were valid, actually incurred, or correctly calculated. Citing an example, the report says that as of May 2008, the US Defence Department paid over $2 billion in Pakistani reimbursement claims for military activities covering January 2004 through June 2007 without obtaining sufficient information that would enable a third party to recalculate these costs. To overcome the problems of accountability, the report says Pakistan and the US have agreed to meet every six months to discuss the issues relating to Coalition Support Funds. As part of the agreement, a new review of Pakistan's claims was to take place in the month of February this year. The new measures for processing claims of Pakistan military to which the Pakistani officials have agreed to include: provision of a monthly operational summary of Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy actions in support of US military operations; additional documentation and cost methodology information for the May 2008 claim; feedback on the proposed submission format within 30 days of receipt; and beginning with the May 2008 claim, provide additional information or documentation for all disputed claims within 90 days to substantiate claims deferred or disallowed by Office of the Defence Representative in the U.S Embassy, CENTCOM, or the Defense Comptroller. The report points out that Pakistan has used Foreign Military Financing to purchase military equipment, such as Cobra helicopters, Harris radios, and upgrades to its F-16 fighter aircraft. Interestingly the report points out that the US plans to train, equip and establish 16 new Frontier Corps units of about 650 personnel each has been delayed due to a deteriorating security situation in Frontier where the training centre had to be established. Moreover, the US Defense Security Development Plan faces a shortfall of approximately $167.5 million, about 73 per cent of its funding goal for fiscal year 2009.