"A BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn (£11.75bn) may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq.

For the first time, the extent to which some private contractors have profited from the conflict and rebuilding has been researched by the BBC's Panorama using US and Iraqi government sources. "

"Henry Waxman who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said: "The money that's gone into waste, fraud and abuse under these contracts is just so outrageous, its egregious.

"It may well turn out to be the largest war profiteering in history." "
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7444083.stm
-=-==-

The complicity of the Democratic Congress has to be noted, as does the role of the allied nations such as Australia to this date.

I think the private feud Bush and Cheney had with Saddam Hussein was merely the icing for them.

Even since before 2004 were reports of the windfall private enterprise had because of the war. http://www.google.com.au/search?q=war+profiteering+2004

But the rhetoric, particularly here in Australia remained the same under a pretentious Howard and with the aid of the private media http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF9HpuZm6-g . Now Rudd has made a similar mistake in believing the hype and propaganda about Afghanistan. And sadly our troops are subjected to propaganda against their will about their roles in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Welll Steel.. this is most 'encouraging'....

BUSH 'bad'
Cheney 'bad'
DEMOCRATIC congress.. 'bad'
Howard.. 'bad'
RUDD.. also (yes.. believe it or not) 'BAD'....
Your allacation of blame seems to be remarkably Biblical "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

BUT brother STEEL.. is there anyone GOOD out there? to whom we may call to fix all this mess.. AAH.. I know..its..

"JOHN PILGER"... aka 'The socialist prophet/messiah'

I have my reservations Steely.. the Bible says

<<"Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10As it is written:
"There is no one righteous, not even one">>

but THIS: from 'the enlightened one' (That's Steel :)

"Now Rudd has made a similar mistake in believing the hype and propaganda about Afghanistan."

Naturally, Rudd only makes decisions based on 'Media Hype' and 'propoganda' After all..he would NEVER make desicions based on the best intelligence directly from the various fields of operation provided by a host of professionals, that crosses his desk each day or however often they have a briefing..nope.. its all because of 'MEDIA HYPE'... that he has gullibly believed.

But.. STEEL...aah..now HE has the real truth..right?

SO.. dear Steel.. and your answer is? (and after all that negativity..you BETTER have one mate !)

I can't wait for this :)

Dear Steel,

Kevin Rudd is keeping his election promise concerning our troop withdrawal from Iraq. That part of our involvement is over.

Afghanistan is a different scenario. We're there because its a UN sanctioned exercise - which we're obligated to support.

If you're really interested in knowing the full extent of how privately successful the war profiteers were in Iraq - read,
John Pilger's, "The New Rulers of The World." It will make your hair stand on end.

Foxy,

John Pilger himself makes my "hair stand on end".

Is Australia really obliged to be in Afghanistan by dint of being a member of the UN?

Are all other member countries there, too?

Foxy,

I for one have read Pilger's book and you're right about the information it contains, especially regarding what really happened after Desert Storm that somehow didn't make the usual popular media.

Unfortunately, most comments you will get here will have nothing all all to do with the subject matter itself, but just a tendency to shoot the messenger.

The real "Media Hype" at work in our society is to blindly accept the populist pre-manufactured daily swill that gets dished out to influence public opinion in support of other agendas and make people feel that they have been properly informed. The same people who are telling you exactly what's happening on the other side of the world are also telling you how dangerous everyday household objects are and all the wonderful new ways to lose weight.

The truth behind all politics is not to inform but to maintain ignorance and to find ways of making it work for them and fear and greed are the best motivators of all.

Howard's legacy left for Rudd makes it politically impossible to make a moral judgement alone, without paying a high political price, no matter what he does.

Information about obscene Contractor profits is well known, just not widely reported.

BOAZ>"he would NEVER make desicions based on the best intelligence directly from the various fields of operation provided by a host of professionals"

And whom do you think these people based their intelligence on? The USA and the UK. The lies were merely ferried across to Australia where they were likely skimmed over in awe or deference and then handed to the government of the day. For an example of ASIO's incompetence in this area, it was apparently supplied with information about two terrorists in 2000 who between them later participated in the Bali and September 11 attacks, information which they ignored (according to J.Roche who turned himself in years later). Who knows...perhaps Australia deliberately ignored the intelligence to participate in this war because the USA has much more influence over Australia's fortune and interests than we citizens could imagine.

Secondly it's not all that hard to pay attention to the news (esp. that suppressed or ignored by the mainstream news).I have read various news reports various sources for a long time and they paint a much more realistic picture. I would expect leaders to have that kind of information awareness.

Foxy>"Afghanistan is a different scenario. We're there because its a UN sanctioned exercise - which we're obligated to support."

Are you sure?... The stated intentions of Australia so far have been to repeat how 'Good' and 'Just' the war is and that it must 'Go On', at great cost to Australians (they leave that last part out even as we continue to be damaged financially at home).

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/3b-and-rising-rapidly-cost-of-iraq-war/2007/03/20/1174153066804.html

$3 billion for iraq and was "rising" in 2007. This probably excludes afghanistan.