The Cowboys of Kabul

Mother Jones by Daniel Schulman | Jul. 28, 2009 (Special Report)

Although their circumstances looked dire, the Spiers were about to become millionaires. By May, Barbara Spier had filed the paperwork to form a new corporation called US Protection and Investigations. Soon, thanks to the contracting sweepstakes that was the war in Afghanistan, she was signing an $8.4 million deal with the Louis Berger Group. The multinational construction and engineering company had landed a $214 million contract to rebuild Afghanistan's ... Full Story »

Posted by Derek Hawkins - via Mother Jones

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Dwight Rousu
4.3
 by Dwight Rousu - Aug. 10, 2009

Schulman presents a big picture of corruption in Afghanistan that appears to involve American fraudulent war profiteers. Most the big media focus on blaming the corruption of the Afghan puppet regime and the warlords. Well written and disgusting.

Afghanistan has received even less scrutiny. In conflict zones, it’s always difficult to weed out fraudulent invoices from legitimate expenses, to discern patronage contracts from necessary ones. Afghanistan’s cash-based economy, primitive infrastructure, corrupt government, and deteriorating security situation make it exponentially harder. With oversight woefully thin and auditors scarce, the bombed-out country has been a Disneyland for profiteers.

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Dwight's Rating

Overall
4.3

Good
from 13 answers
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4.4
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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5.0
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5.0
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5.0
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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