The biggest corruption scandal in history

Fast becoming the newspaper of record in the US, once again it's the London Times breaking the news, revealing that US officials are secretly meeting with insurgents trying to broker a deal to end the violence. WaPo reports Rumsfeld has admitted the talks were held but downplayed their importance saying it shouldn't be surprising.

Middle East analysts mainly agree that the talks are unlikely to resolve the ongoing problems as long as the US continues to occupy the country, robbing the government, already thought of as completely corrupt, of any credibility.

"Iraq is in the midst of what is internationally now being described as 'the biggest corruption scandal in history,'" says a recent story in Azzaman.

"Iraqis wonder where the billions they hear about are going and whether the billions more their government is asking for will improve conditions in the violence-hit country."

They blame the United States for the corruption.

...Iraqis have less food, less electricity, less job opportunities, less clean water and worsening health conditions.

In practice, the government has almost stopped offering public services and amenities that are available in some of the world’s most impoverished countries.
Even the food rationing system which has helped millions of households stave off starvation is beginning to collapse with families not getting basic food stuffs like flour, sugar and rice for months.

Poverty breeds discontent that is undermining the status of current government in Iraqi eyes and raising eye brows about U.S. presence in the country.

Meanwhile, "Pentagon auditors have questioned more than $1 billion in costs by contracting giant Halliburton Co. for its work in Iraq, a number several times higher than previously disclosed, according to a report by congressional Democrats."

With a teacher like Halliburton, it's no wonder the Iraqis are getting so good at corruption.