within the Iraqi government and tried to keep it a secret according to two former State Department officials. According to them, this was to retain a good relationship with the Iraqi government. It seems that allowing fraud and corruption by Iraqis is simply part of paying the Iraqi government for continuing to supporting the United States mission. Instead of just providing the Iraqi government with U.S. aid, the White House strategy is to also pay off Iraqi officials for being allies. In fact, much of the "success" of the surge has been related to "buying" the loyalty of insurgents. But when we stop paying them, what will happen? Will they continue to be allied with the U.S.?
White House supporters in Congress snuck a provision into a previous defense funding bill that eliminated the federal agency that investigates fraud in Iraq. And Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced that neither he nor his cabinet may be investigated for corruption.
For more see: SFChronicle and NBC
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