Concerns Of Iraqi Government Corruption Concern Congress Over $1Billion Iraqi Jobs Proposal

Last week in hearings in the Senate, serious concerns about Iraqi government corruption seriously clouded how much of the proposed $1 billion dollar Iraqi jobs bill by President Bush will find it's way into theft or into the hands of militia organizations. Testimony by experts such as Michael O'Hanlon of the Brooking Institution and Phebe Marr, author of THE MODERN HISTORY OF IRAQ" did little to satisfy the concerns of senators about the future of these funds.

Michael O'Hanlon raised a depressing image that he'd rather see the money badly wasted with five Iraqi workers hired to whitewash the very same fence five times, than see militia groups or government corruption steal the funds.

With problems such as graft in oil revenues and theft of reconstruction funds, fraud and theft is a major industry of the Iraqi government. The question is whether or not the U.S. can really be sure that the proposed $1 billion dollar Iraqi jobs bill will really provide jobs and improve Iraq or simply become another cash cow for Iraqi government theft.