NEED SOME CASH?

The U.S. has spent more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in Iraq since the shock and awe invasion of 2003. More than $50 billion of it has gone to private contractors hired to guard bases, drive trucks, feed and shelter the troops and rebuild the country.

The U.S. flew $12 billion in shrink-wrapped $100 bills into Iraq, then distributed the cash with no proper control over who was getting it and how it was spent. (The photo above is of an armed guard standing by pallets of $100 bills flown into Baghdad.) This was the biggest transfer of cash in the history of the Federal Reserve.

Using C-130 planes, the cash deliveries took place once or twice a month with the biggest of $2.4 billion in June of 2004.

Auditors found that $774,300 in cash had been stolen from one military division's safe. One official was given $6.75 million and told to spend it in one week before the interim Iraqi government took control. You can imagine that a few of the $100 bills got stuffed into some U.S. military officers pockets. When they got home they probably purchased that big SUV and fancy home with jacuzzi they had been dreaming of.

Is that what they mean when they say we should support the troops?

Now on top of all this criminal waste, fraud, and abuse the Bush administration wants to send another $100 billion to Iraq. Congress will be voting on this request in the next few weeks. You, the taxpayer, are being asked to fork the money over. Support the troops!

Sadly the Democrats, now in control of Congress, are going to give Bush the next big fat check. Who will profit from this new round of $100 billion? Will the troops get the body armor they need? Will the Veterans Administration get more funds to help returning GI's who have been seriously wounded in Iraq or now suffer from severe PTSD?

No, No, and more No.

The money will go to make the rich and corrupt even richer. It will go to the weapons corporations as fat contracts. It will go to the private contractors who have already shown their complete disregard for honesty and integrity. It will be stolen by dishonest military brass who are feathering their own nest while working class GI's take the brunt of the punishment. The Iraqi people will continue to suffer without adequate water systems, sewer systems, electricity and the like.

The Democrats and the Republican politicians supporting this new $100 billion expenditure will get their kick-backs in the form of campaign donations from the high and mighty.

Any politician that says they are against the occupation of Iraq and then votes for another $100 billion is telling a lie. Plain and simple.

What is the public going to do about it? What are you going to do?