So This is how the Surge Is Working In Iraq-No Oil, No Food
Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 01:53:36 AM PDT
The Bushprints on the world are widening. I'm not saying Bush and Cheney invented corruption, but they sure have shown the world how to do it and continue to get away with doing it especially in Iraq.
"We need US$5-6 billion instead of the US$3.1 billion allocated for the rations’ system in 2008 to cope with the soaring prices of these items on international markets. In addition, there has also been an increase in shipping and transportation costs worldwide and inside Iraq," al-Soodani said.
Al-Soodani blamed corruption and manpower shortages in his ministry for the malfunctioning of the nationwide rations’ system, the poor quality of items distributed and delays in delivering them. He said his ministry had only 30,000 employees running the rations’ system for 30 million people.
The Food for Oil program in Iraq started back in 1995.
IRAQ: Government to cut items from its free food handoutsBAGHDAD, 4 December 2007 (IRIN) - From the beginning of 2008 the quantity of national food rations delivered freely to all Iraqi families will be further reduced - from 10 to five items, due to lack of government financial support, Trade Minister Abid Falah al-Soodani said on 3 December.
The food rations’ system, known as the Public Distribution System (PDS), was set up in 1995 as part of the UN’s Oil-for-Food programme after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait 17 years ago. However, it has been crumbling since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 due to insecurity, poor management and corruption.
We are talking about massive amounts of food supplies. Who is stealing it and why? With my tin-foil hat on I see much of the food being hoarded and stored in some nuclear fall out shelter in preparation for World War 3. And if that is the case where is this food being stored? (Food for thought for those interested.)
Some of the food is probably being stolen by groups to sell in the black market by locals who need to make a living, but these small groups couldn't possibly handle the HUGE amount of shipments that appear to be missing.
The plan envisages items to be distributed monthly would be: rice (3kg per person), sugar (2kg per person), cooking oil (1.25kg or one litre per person), flour (9kg per person) and milk for adults (250g per person).
The items omitted would be: tea (200g per person), beans (250g per person), children’s milk (1.8kg per child), soap (250g per person), detergents (500g per person) and tomato paste (500g per person).
Plan could lead to hunger, says expert.
Adults get milk but not the children??
Testimony
Siham Ibrahim, a 55-year-old mother-of-eight, gave the lentils she got as part of her food rations to her chickens because she considered them so inferior.
"It was our dream to receive full food rations with good quality food that human beings can eat," said Siham.
"Each month I went to the agent to receive the food rations and I was surprised this time to find that two or three items, such as the children’s milk, were missing. In fact, we have not received children’s milk for the past three months," Siham, who has two children aged 2-5, said.
Siham’s family is now forced to buy some of their food items from the market which costs them nearly US$150 a month.
On a side note, I spend about $150.00 a month on food here in America due to my disability income and that's just for one person.
This is outrageous. Don't kid yourself thinking that it could only be corrupt Iraqis doing all the stealing. Bushco controls Iraq on many levels and until our soldiers leave Iraq, America will still be in control.
What is going on? With all the INTELLIGENCE in the world, satellites, GPS Tracking etc., Is someone going to tell me that HUGE Shipping tankers of Oil and Food just Disappear?
Remember how we were told that the Iraqi Oil would subsidized this OCCUPATION?
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