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| Iraq |
| Instapundit - MORE ON CERP FUNDS IN IRAQ |
| 2003-11-03 |
| Hattip to Winds of Change from a celebrated expert: I am a Marine Reserve Lt.Col. and was the Provincial Military Governor for Wasit Province in Iraq until early September. In fact, you blogged a story about me. (Link) We had funds that were seized from Saddam and used them for all manner of reconstruction projects. Additionally we had US funds allocated for our discretionary use (well, there were some restrictions, I couldn’t use it to benefit US personnel). It was essential to our success when I was there. We didn’t lose one Marine to enemy fire after the war combat was over. As funding and the discretion to spend money where and when it is needed become bogged down in government red tape, it will create problems for the guys who are still there. No doubt. Politicians don’t appreciate the needs of guys on the front lines and what we need to do to get things done. It’t the small things that build in importance with immediate impact. We also got help for things we needed from folks back home. I asked a group called Spirit of America for red, white and blue soccer jerseys for local kids and adults to help build goodwill since soccer is the game there. They wrote up the story at: Link They helped another Marine with dental supplies and they’re helping Army guys there now. The main thing is that there is help from the private sector and people in the U.S. can help. You guys should know about that because it’s even more important now that the seized funds we used are drying up. I’m back home at work now but let me know if I can tell you more about this or put you in touch with the guys who helped us. LtCol David Couvillon, USMCR Instapundit links to a WA Po article as an example of the good works accomplished through the CRE program:Military Uses Hussein Hoard For Swift Aid Red Tape Cut, Cash Flows to Iraqi Contracts Instapundit encourages the blogosphere to take action. I think the issue hinges on the coalition trying to gain UN and international apporval through transparency which would be hard to do with CRE. Here is an example article from Reuters on Thursday: U.S. Promises Transparency in Handling Iraqi Funds Kind of ironic that the UN is demanding transpancy in a CPA program and the result is hurting Iraqi’s. When I think about UN involvement in Iraq, the feelding in my head reminds me of the AFLAC commercial. I’m taking about the one where the duck staggers out of the barber shop after listening to Yogi Berra explain suplemental insurance. |
| Posted by:Super Hose |