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| Iraq |
| Iraqi official snatches computers meant for kiddies |
| 2010-08-28 |
| BAGHDAD — An Iraqi official stole US-purchased computers worth almost two million dollars destined for schoolchildren and sold them off for less than 50,000 dollars, the US army said on Friday. In a highly unusual press statement, the American military said an unnamed senior official at Umm Qasr port had misappropriated the 1.9-million-dollar gift and auctioned the computers for only 45,700 dollars. Documents provided by senior Iraqi customs officials proved that the auction took place on August 16 and the theft was discovered eight days later, the statement said. It also said the US army commander in southern Iraq, Major General Vincent Brooks, wanted “an immediate investigation into the actions of the Umm Qasr official” to discover how computers meant for children had been auctioned. The computers arrived at the port sealed in containers with numbers matching those on the shipping documents and US officials were starting to coordinate delivery to schools in Babil province, south of Baghdad, when the computers were found to be missing, the statement added. Umm Qasr is a large port, and corruption issues led the British military to dismiss many officials there when they administered the facility following the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 The port director, Talib Bayesh, told The Associated Press that the equipment had been sitting in the port for more than 90 days and that, according to the law, any items sitting in the port for more than three months without being claimed could be confiscated by the port and sold at public auction.“Thus we sold the shipment by auction for only $45,000,” he said. So I guess ya wouldn't mind us checking out your bank accounts, would ya, Talib? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-08-28 12:43 |
| #4 ...or building monuments to their own egos and power as in LA. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-08-28 11:44 |
| #3 This sort of thing happens the world over, not just Iraq. Corrupt officials are always redirecting stuff meant for children. As an example, I give you the Chicago School Board ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2010-08-28 10:43 |
| #2 "Iraqi forces are ready to handle the country's security on their own, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told on Thursday, as the last American combat brigade left Iraq." And the Iraqi police can fight crime. As always, |
| Posted by: Goodluck 2010-08-28 03:37 |
| #1 This shit might stop if Mr. Unnamed Senior Offical was found down at the docks impaled on a forklift... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-08-28 00:57 |