Stop the presses

A major American newspaper is actually reporting the news.

Ok, it's a columnist, but it's something.

Robbery, not reconstruction, in Iraq

Halliburton and its hundreds of millions of dollars of overcharges or baseless costs are well known. But millions more were taken by companies that promised to build or restore libraries or police facilities, or deliver trucks and construction equipment. Money was given to the puppet government with no follow-up. US government investigators can account for only a third of the $1.5 billion given by the CPA to the interim government and it appears that a substantial portion of the $8 billion given to Iraqi ministries went to ''ghost employees.''

Because of the way the United States set things up after the invasion, contractors are immune from prosecution by Iraqis. And even when firms are prosecuted, the millions of dollars in fines go to the US Treasury, not the Iraqi people. It amounts to two invasions. First the bombs. Then the banks.

This is robbery, not reconstruction.

Look, I'm as pissed off at the Democrats as anybody, and they aren't doing much to change my mind. But, for God's sake, they have GOT to get the majority in Congress because this crap has GOT to be investigated.