Posted by D. Cupples | Today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may testify before the House Oversight Committee about the State Department's mismanagement of billions in federal
contracts (and other things). Yesterday, a Department staffer resigned, perhaps because of contract-related issues.
The New York Times reports:
"The State Department official responsible for overseeing Blackwater USA and other private security contractors in Iraq resigned abruptly today.
"Richard J. Griffin, who has been the director of the department’s diplomatic security bureau since June 2005, faced stiff criticism from Congress over his handling of a Sept. 16 shooting episode involving Blackwater that left 17 Iraqis dead and other acts of violence by the State Department’s security guards.
"A special panel appointed to investigate the handling of diplomatic security in Iraq found a glaring lack of oversight and accountability that was hindering the American diplomatic and military mission there....
Are all the State Department's problems are Mr. Griffin's fault? Just last month, we learned that State Department inspector general Howard Krongard may have repeatedly blocked investigations into contractor waste and fraud....
If those assertions -- which were made by employees -- are even half accurate, then our State Department has bigger problems than how Mr. Griffin had done his job.
For example, State Department staff was reportedly threatened for planning to cooperate with Congress's investigation of State Department higher-ups and Blackwater. Of course, Blackwater isn't the only contractor in hot water: DynCorp, a security contractor, allegedly over-charged the taxpayers.
Then there's the $562 million embassy project in Iraq: the one that's now over-budget yet plagued by shoddy work.
One can only hope that the State Department will not merely try to appear to be fixing its widespread (and costly) problems.
[Article found on Memeorandum.]
Related BN-Politics Posts:
* Have U.S. Officials Protected Blackwater?
* State Dept.'s Odd & Untimely Reactions to Blackwater Scandals
* State Dept. Staff Threatened for Cooperating with Congress
* Inspector General Blocked Investigations re: Waste and Fraud?
* Blackwater Uses Fuzzy Math to Justify Costs
* Blackwater Hearing: Poor Media Coverage
* DynCorp Joins Blackwater as Probe Target, State Dept. Stonewalls
* Blackwater Took Iraqi Airplanes, CEO Misled Congress?
* Probe re: Embassy in Iraq & State Department Officials
* Embassy in Iraq: Waste, Bad Planning, and Contractor Fraud?
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