Pentagon 'loses track' of $500 mil in weapons, equipment sent to Yemen

[bateman]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-loses-sight-of-500-million-in-counterterrorism-aid-given-to-yemen/2015/03/17/f4ca25ce-cbf9-11e4-8a46-b1dc9be5a8ff_story.html?hpid=z1

[DelphiDreams]

0_O

[PB the Deplorable]

Reports of Administration incompetence make me feel so much better about the negotiations with Iran

[VegasI15]

You'll find where this stuff is once you read Hillary's dirty emails. 

[albrecht]

Although the administration has backed off, for now, over the popular "green tip" .556mm ammo I do find it interesting how so much material gets "lost" or even given to radicals and rebels. One wonders if some of those government purchases for agencies like NOAA and SSA aren't being funneled to our rebel friend radicals (maybe via the Benghazi and other gun running operations.) One also wonders about the militarization of the drug cartels walking across our open-border, and committing atrocities worthy of ISIS all over Mexico and increasingly here (but not covered in our media) aren't also armed by us. Inadvertently, of course! It seems Administration policy that anyone should be armed, except law-abiding citizens- especially if they are radical, Muslim, or foreign.

[Evil Twin Of Zen]

Krusty says "aaaa, crap!" to ten minutes of unfitting music

[b_dubb]

Reports of Administration incompetence make me feel so much better about the negotiations with Iran

I suppose you think this only happens when we have .... oh fuck it what's the point


Must remind myself not to attempt to engage broken records in conversation

[Juan]

Let us suppose Mr. Obama is a genius.  People in the Middle East have been slaughtering one another for thousands of years.  Many people, including some in this parish, think the west should just allow them to kill each other, and spend so much time and effort doing it, they are unable to attack anyone else.  Thus, Mr. Obama and the Pentagon "lose" weapons that will allow the region's people to continue the slaughter.

[Gd5150]

It pays to be and Islamic extremist when one yours in the the White House. 160 hummers, that's nothing compared to the number of hummers that were hidden during Clintons presidency. Sure hope they find those Huey's.

[attachimg=1]

[NowhereInTime]

Let us suppose Mr. Obama is a genius.  People in the Middle East have been slaughtering one another for thousands of years.  Many people, including some in this parish, think the west should just allow them to kill each other, and spend so much time and effort doing it, they are unable to attack anyone else.  Thus, Mr. Obama and the Pentagon "lose" weapons that will allow the region's people to continue the slaughter.

Spot on.  It's duplicitous, but it creates the ever important shield of "plausible deniability".

Reports of Administration incompetence make me feel so much better about the negotiations with Iran

Juan nailed it.  Why couldn't you see that?

[albrecht]

Let us suppose Mr. Obama is a genius.  People in the Middle East have been slaughtering one another for thousands of years.  Many people, including some in this parish, think the west should just allow them to kill each other, and spend so much time and effort doing it, they are unable to attack anyone else.  Thus, Mr. Obama and the Pentagon "lose" weapons that will allow the region's people to continue the slaughter.

I would like to think that but, unfortunately, they don't contain their killings to only fellow Muslims and 'blow-back' has already been seen by some of the Muslims that we have armed.  Also, if Obama was using this strategy, or if he really cared about the country, he would secure the border as first priority and also not be taking in Muslims emigres from war-torn lands en masse.

[NowhereInTime]

I would like to think that but, unfortunately, they don't contain their killings to only fellow Muslims and 'blow-back' has already been seen by some of the Muslims that we have armed.  Also, if Obama was using this strategy, or if he really cared about the country, he would secure the border as first priority and also not be taking in Muslims emigres from war-torn lands en masse.

See?  Genius.  Who else would be able to bend the loss of $500 million in weapons into an immigration issue? 

Focused like a laser.  A laser that is burning children on a playground, but a laser nonetheless.

[albrecht]

See?  Genius.  Who else would be able to bend the loss of $500 million in weapons into an immigration issue? 

Focused like a laser.  A laser that is burning children on a playground, but a laser nonetheless.

It is very apropos because if Western nations had leaders that cared about them they would have rational and controlled immigration schemes and secure borders. So the threat of these Muslims, and the threat of the missing weapons finding their way into our countries, would be less. And the news of Muslims slaughtering each other (and others) in the Middle East would just be "business as usual" as they have been doing so for centuries. But now they can easily come to our countries and continue their peaceful activities here.

[PB the Deplorable]

See?  Genius.  Who else would be able to bend the loss of $500 million in weapons into an immigration issue? 

Focused like a laser...

Says one of the folks here who can turn anything into a race issue.

Focused like a laser indeed

[VtaGeezer]

Of course, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened to the billions in weapons that the right demanded Obama provide to "moderates" militias in Syria.

[albrecht]

Of course, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened to the billions in weapons that the right demanded Obama provide to "moderates" militias in Syria.

I agree. Though no politician would say so we also need to stop giving billions, and selling weapons to regimes like the Saudis, and even look again at our Israeli policy. Ultimately both sides would find a way to buy weapons and could support themselves- but at least our hands would be clean and, maybe, we would be considered less of an enemy by the Muslims. Use those weapons and money to secure our border, root out Muslims, Illegals, and cartel members already in our country, and for defensive purposes-- with regard to our mineral, fishing, drilling rights of NATO countries and ours, protecting shipping lanes, anti-piracy, and eliminating vessels of immigrants coming to our countries (not blowing them out of the water but impounding the people and delivering them back to country of origin, imprison the captain and operators, and then scuttling the ship.)

But especially not arming the Obama/McCain rebels, who later turn into ISIS, and other radical groups or simply leave their weapons and flee and allow more radical types to pick them up!

[DanTSX]

See?  Genius.  Who else would be able to bend the loss of $500 million in weapons into an immigration issue? 

Focused like a laser.  A laser that is burning children on a playground, but a laser nonetheless.

Yeah a real problem solver!

Arm more radical Muslims'!

Such focus! No way this could backfire on us.

[DanTSX]

This is what liberals really believe....

[NowhereInTime]

This is what liberals really believe....

Now I know its a full moon. First QK, now you show up to hurl invective.

[paladin1991]

did they ever find their missing shit?  Let me go check my garage.

[DanTSX]

Now I know its a full moon. First QK, now you show up to hurl invective.

Don't you go getting all superstitious on us NIT.  And don't mistake disagreement with you,
As agreement with anyone else.

Either this weapons "loss" was an accident or it was intentional as you point out. 

Neither intent is good for anything in the world right now. 

[paladin1991]

Don't you go getting all superstitious on us NIT.  And don't mistake disagreement with you,
As agreement with anyone else.

Either this weapons "loss" was an accident or it was intentional as you point out. 

Neither intent is good for anything in the world right now.

Oh boy.  I better go check my garage, now!

[DanTSX]

Oh boy.  I better go check my garage, now!

Oh man NIT is going to think that you are all a part of Obama's master plan in the crazy spy plot novel in his head.

[NowhereInTime]

Don't you go getting all superstitious on us NIT.  And don't mistake disagreement with you,
As agreement with anyone else.

Either this weapons "loss" was an accident or it was intentional as you point out. 

Neither intent is good for anything in the world right now.

You're right. I apologize if it appeared that I condone either scenario. I also understand, given the keystone cops routine Justice ran for Operation Fast and Furious why there would be little faith in this administration handling a weapons transfer in a safe and orderly manner.

[DanTSX]

You're right. I apologize if it appeared that I condone either scenario. I also understand, given the keystone cops routine Justice ran for Operation Fast and Furious why there would be little faith in this administration handling a weapons transfer in a safe and orderly manner.

Agreed

Hey palliddin.  I have room in my garage if you need it.

[Mind Flayer Monk]

Many people, including some in this parish, think the west should just allow them to kill each other, and spend so much time and effort doing it, they are unable to attack anyone else. 

That is what's happening. It is also happening in Afghanistan.
I wonder if this strategy is called "Give Them Enough Rope" in closed-door meetings.

According to Cobra II we lost 10x that from 2004-2008 in Iraq.  So this stuff is everywhere.

Here is some follow up. An article from yesterday in the NY Times

Afghan Militia Leaders, Empowered by U.S. to Fight Taliban, Inspire Fear in Villages
" Rahimullah used to be a farmer â€" just a “normal person living an ordinary life,” as he put it. Then he formed his own militia last year and found himself swept up in America’s exit strategy from Afghanistan."

Scattered across Afghanistan, men like Rahimullah continue to hold ground and rule villages. They are a significant part of the legacy of the American war here, brought to power amid a Special Operations counterinsurgency strategy that mobilized anti-Taliban militias in areas beyond the grasp of the Afghan Army.

[VtaGeezer]

Just to keep things in perspective...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/02/07/us-iraq-usa-cash-idUSN0631295120070207

"The special inspector general for Iraqi reconstruction, Stuart Bowen, said in a January 2005 report that $8.8 billion was unaccounted for after being given to the Iraqi ministries."

[Juan]

All of that probably went to Switzerland

[paladin1991]

Agreed

Hey palliddin.  I have room in my garage if you need it.

Might take you up on that, partner.  (I mean that in the most....platonic way.  Not that there's anything wrong with the other way.) Just short term, you know?