ID:

335

Date:

2008-08-11

Headline:

Money as a Weapon

Reporter's name:

Dana Hedgpeth and Sarah Cohen

Delay/denial:

No

Lawsuit:

No

Fees:

No

Media outlet:

The Washington Post

City:

Washington, DC

Summary:

Records show that CERP has disbursed at least $2.8 billion in American funds for a wide range of accidents, incidents, and projects in line with a field manual called "Money as a Weapon System." The program, which began as a civic counter-insurgency tool for "short-term, small-scale 'urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction'," has expanded from reimbursing Iraqis for material losses and injuries to development and public works projects, with limited oversight, accountability, and follow-through, leading to questions about its long-term effects and effectiveness.

Notes:

The Washington Post used a FOIA request to obtain access to the Iraq Reconstruction Management System, a database maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers to track expenditures resulting from the Iraq war/occupation, under the Commander's Emergency Response Program (CERP).

Keywords:

Iraq, money, reconstruction, military, oversight, GAO

URL:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081002512.html

Agencies:

DOD
GAO

States:

US Terr./Other

Categories:

federal budget
Iraq
military