As the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) shuts down in what can only be thought of as a mercy killing, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) continues its dreary work. They send out regular press releases that all look like this most recent one:
Today, SIGAR released an inspection of the Imam Sahib Border Police company headquarters in Kunduz province, Afghanistan. The $7.3 million facility was built to hold 175 people, yet only 12 were on site and no one was aware of any plans to move additional personnel to the facility. The personnel did not have keys to many of the buildings and most the facility appeared to be unused. Additionally, there is no contract or plan to train personnel in the operations and maintenance of the facility raising questions about its sustainability.
Photo of Facility (shown above)
Should you have any questions or need any additional information please do not hesitate to contact our Director of Public Affairs, Phil LaVelle at (703) 545-5974 or philip.j.lavelle.civ@mail.mil.
Friends, do a little search and replace exercise and that SIGAR report could have been right out of Iraq circa 2006. It strongly suggests we have learned nothing, that the reconstruction of Afghanistan is simply another foreign policy feel-good farce. It means no… one… cares.
After all I went through personally to bring the abuses, waste and fraud of Iraq reconstruction to light, well, that makes me sad.
Copyright ยฉ 2020. All rights reserved. The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) in their private capacity.
John Poole said...
1I can’t be the only one on this site who wonders if those running the empire today are pathologically mendacious or mentally incompetent. Maybe it is both- sinister AND dim.
02/22/13 4:14 PM | Comment Link
pitchfork said...
2John, DIM is a compliment.
The DoS spites rationality and embraces aberrant thought. Those dumb consulate videos are living proof. I’d submit these projects are simply conspiracy between DoS and contractors to defraud the American people as sheer stupidity cannot account for all the waste and corruption.
Frankly, from everything Peter has written, and shown here, I also submit the DoS KNOWINGLY perpetuates complicity to fraud, as malfeasance of this magnitude would illicit raucous uncontrollable laughter from sea to shining sea.
Yesireebob, if Susan Rice is any indication, I’d bet $1k the DoS is LOADED with people who stand to make a killing by virtue of their position within DoS. Please prove I’m wrong.
Of course, knowing Empire building requires massive logistical support as well as construction, maintenance and staffing regardless of validity, it’s a no brainer there are plenty of avenues for personal gain while employed at high levels within DoS, as well as other Departments. Revolving doors notwithstanding, I bet if we were to see a “connection” graphic between Corporate/Government personnel, it would no doubt fill a 10×100 foot wall at the pixel level.
However, having no such graphic, I want to substitute it with something else. Peter, please bear with me here, as I think even you will at least be more informed in relation to We Meant Well.
Here my friends, is more dot connecting info than you could find in 10 years. I started researching this 10 years ago. And is part of the reason I found We Meant Well. I’ve hesitated posting this as some will roll their eyes…until you read the whole shebang. But as current events unfold, I constantly refer back to this resource. If this doesn’t astound you, the next 2 links will, and they are related. You see, the web of revolving doors is world wide and century’s old. But the underlying point of reference here..is software. Believe it or not. It’s of extreme importance, especially in light of current events. In that light, I offer some insight into areas of concern very few people are aware of.
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/pandora/052401_promis.html
http://www.lycaeum.org/books/books/last_circle/1.htm
and last but not least..Katherine Austin Fitts.
Absolutely astounding.
http://www.dunwalke.com/
02/22/13 10:04 PM | Comment Link
meloveconsullongtime said...
3“I canโt be the only one on this site who wonders if those running the empire today are pathologically mendacious or mentally incompetent.”
Both. Willful evil makes you stupid.
02/23/13 9:37 AM | Comment Link
Rich Bauer said...
4Maybe they aren’t meant to house people:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2281403/U-S-Air-Force-developing-terrifying-swarms-tiny-unmanned-drones-hover-crawl-kill-targets.html
Obama: Lord of the Flies
02/23/13 1:16 PM | Comment Link
pitchfork said...
5Obama: Lord of the Flies. Indeed. I believe I posted a link to a youtube video last year showing the latest drone “swarming” capabilities, developed at some university. Orwell would pass out. This one capability alone is scary enough. But then add AI, modified Promis or other software, and autonomy to the picture and we will see the end of “freedom”, PERIOD. Frankly..I will NOT live under a web of machines. EVER.
I know one thing for sure. Whoever these people are that are allowing their skill-sets to be utilized to design and build all these nightmarish, murder program machines, they’ve sold their soul to the Satin of Corporate hell on earth. Shameless is a MASSIVE understatement. These people are TRAITORS to mankind. And I SUBMIT..sure as the sun rises in the east, THEY will PERSONALLY reap man-kinds reprisal..eventually. Frankly, knowing the whole fucking world is now the so called ..ahem..”battlefield” you can bet your sweet bippy Amerika will be “swarming” with these vile creepy machines. Did I mention bugsplat? Sounds good to me.
However, for me, there is only two kinds of people now. Those that support this despicable Cabal, and those that do not. I submit the only solution to reconcile these opposite and disparate views..is a massive, violent, and winner take all civil war. They know it, I know it, and so do millions of other people. If DHS’s purchase of close to 2 BILLION rounds of hollow point ammo, and 7000 machine guns isn’t living proof, I don’t know what is. Their intent is blindingly obvious now.
I also submit they are planning a Red Flag event, to which they expect will trigger an “offence” from the enemy..which is American gun owners. Well, I only have one thing to say about that. If only 3% of American gun-owners have any say.. there won’t be any more “free Waco’s”. EVER.
In the meantime…Lord help us.
02/23/13 6:49 PM | Comment Link
pitchfork said...
6ps..I believe this guy sums it up pretty good.
Obama’s Brave New World.
http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/brave-new-world/?singlepage=true
02/23/13 6:58 PM | Comment Link
John Poole said...
7I repeat myself I know, but America is not an exceptional empire. We think our laws and rules will spare us from the grievous social chaos of an empire going feral. The needed correction was possible maybe thirty years ago but no longer a possibility and if implemented miraculously today it would bring about the same awful collapse we all fear. In other words, it is too late for a peaceful “cure”. I’m hoping to eat these words in five years.
02/23/13 7:55 PM | Comment Link
jo6pac said...
8Pitchfork
Thanks for the links I read KAP book when she first got it on line. I printed the whole thing so my late parents could read it. All my late father could do was shake his head and say it’s as bad as I thought. I also followed the Inslaw story in Spy Mag. One of meese customers was none other the saddam hussien our friend at the time but times change
Remember vdh is the 1%
02/23/13 10:53 PM | Comment Link
meloveconsullongtime said...
9Gay marriage will save the empire and usher in a millenium of equality. (That was sarcasm; actually simulations of “gay marriage” are exclusively found in rotting empires rife with inequality, and in Rome’s decadence “gay marriages” always involved slaves):
http://movieclips.com/CXTj-fellini-satyricon-movie-enslaved-wedding/
02/24/13 12:17 AM | Comment Link
meloveconsullongtime said...
10Non-sarcastic now, and off-topic (this might be more relevant to PVB’s previous post “Music to our Ears”), but I think some of you might enjoy this clip I recently shared with some of my American friends…
…a short video of a Jewish wedding in Yemen, to which many of their local Muslim friends were invited. And since they’re all neighbours, all of the same nation – the same ANCIENT nation! – they all look pretty much alike, except the Jewish men can be identified by their braids. Otherwise they’re the same people, same race, same nationality, same ancient blood and culture, and essentially the same religion.
So, the obvious rhetorical question is: WHY is America bombing Yemen, when Yemeni Jews and Muslims are perfectly able to sort things out for themselves?
The most beautiful part is after 4:30 when some Jewish and Muslim men embrace and kiss and dance together. The wedding at Cana (in today’s Lebanon) in circa 30 AD, where Jesus turned water into wine, would have looked and sounded a lot like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRqyWm6K3p4
02/24/13 12:16 PM | Comment Link
pitchfork said...
11@melove
Nice video melove. Living proof that people of different religions CAN get along, vs ..well, I better not go there. ๐
Ya know, ever since Google revamped youtube and removed the “browse” button from the home page, you can’t see all the videos uploaded in the last 24 hrs. I get the feeling, the government requested this as now, all they have is the “trends” page, which is filled with such moronic
crap, I hardly go to youtube anymore. There is a browse button on the trends page, but it only shows the same videos in a different format. Total bullshit.
I submit they do this on purpose so new “political” videos get buried. You would have to know the name of the video in order to search for it. There is no way to see all the videos uploaded that day. Really pissed me off and I let Google/youtube know it too.
In a way..it appears they are “censoring” by virtue of hiding videos. Also knowing the government, amongst others, request youtube to remove tons of videos every day, I’m of the opinion that Google is being “blackmailed” by virtue of threats to prosecute Google on various charges. They’ve simply become an “informer” for the government now. In fact, I bet there is a government liaison in Googles corporate offices who “oversees” the content that gets uploaded. Just like the NYT’s and WAPO’s withholding the story of the Drone base in Saudi Arabia. Did I mention total bullshit?
02/24/13 2:35 PM | Comment Link
Lisa said...
12@meloveconsul,
Thank you for sharing the vid, I agree re. the observation on gay marriage, and also with this:
“Willful evil makes you stupid.”
I have always maintained that evil and stupidity are reciprocal functions. Blindness is required to perpetrate evil. Willful evil makes one stupid, though unbidden stupidity does not necessarily make one evil.
02/24/13 10:03 PM | Comment Link
Lisa said...
13@meloveconsul,
Forgive me, but The Farmer and the Cowman Should be Friends just came to mind —
“They come out West and build a lot of fences …”
What we (they) need an Aunt Eller with a good head on her shoulders, but where is she? Mrs. Clinton is not even the palest approximation, alas.
…But they did look like they were having a rootin’ tootin’ good time here, no? ๐
02/26/13 3:02 AM | Comment Link