“Iraqi Forces” Walking Away From Job

Ignore the headline of this Knight-Ridder story and read it. It’s the best piece of journalism on Iraq in weeks if not months.

Why are they doing so poorly? Maybe this is the reason: (the author is OU Daily alumnus Hannah Allam)

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi investigators have uncovered widespread fraud and waste in more than $1 billion worth of weapons deals arranged by middlemen who reneged or took huge kickbacks on contracts to arm Iraq’s fledgling military, according to a confidential report and interviews with U.S. and Iraqi officials.