Pentagon emerges as puppeteer of favorable wartime coverage
A report by David Barstow of The New York Times reveals how the Pentagon has used a cadre of retired military officers to "generate favorable news coverage of the [Bush] administration’s wartime performance...Records and interviews show how the Bush administration has used its control over access and information in an effort to transform the analysts into a kind of media Trojan horse — an instrument intended to shape terrorism coverage from inside the major TV and radio networks." The Times successfully sued the Defense Department for over 8,000 pages of material that outlines the Pentagon's use of these analysts to "deliver administration 'themes and messages' to millions of Americans 'in the form of their own opinions.'" Many of the analysts have close ties to contractors operating in the war zone that are rarely disclosed in the context of their commentary.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Accuracy questioned in military's hand-held lie detectors
U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan will be issued hand-held lie detectors this month, but Bill Dedman of MSNBC.com uncovered conflicting evidence about their effectiveness. "The Defense Department says the portable device isn't perfect, but is accurate enough to save American lives by screening local police officers, interpreters and allied forces for access to U.S. military bases, and by helping narrow the list of suspects after a roadside bombing." The Pentagon, in a PowerPoint presentation released to msnbc.com through a Freedom of Information Act request, says the PCASS is 82 to 90 percent accurate. But other studies obtained by msnbc.com show that testers discarded inconclusive readings when calculating its accuracy.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Declassified memo reveals claims to president's unfettered wartime power
Dan Eggen and Josh White of The Washington Post report on the recently declassified 2003 Justice Department memo that was responsible for creating the "legal foundation for the Defense Department's use of aggressive interrogation practices" in the run up to the war in Iraq. The memo suggested that presidential power was nearly unlimited during a time of war and should override laws forbidding torture. The Post provides links to pdfs of the 81-page memo (part 1 & 2).
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Psychiatric screening of military personel still lagging
The Hartford Courant's Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman continue their coverage of the U.S. military's mental health policies with a report revealing that fewer than 1 percent of deploying combat troops received mental-health evaluations in 2007 despite a congressional order to improve screening, as revealed in pre-deployment data for nearly 350,000 soldiers sent to war. Those numbers contrast with several military studies that have found mental-health problems in close to 10 percent of service members awaiting deployment. The Courant's latest story came days after the military released a report that found that repeat deployments are straining soldiers’ mental well-being, with 27.2 percent of noncommissioned officers on third and fourth deployments screening positive for depression, anxiety or acute stress.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

"A Soldier's Officer"
Dana Priest and Anne Hull of The Washington Post delve into the case of 1st Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, who was recently court-martialed for attempting suicide and endangering the life of another officer while in Iraq. The authors trace Whiteside's career in the army and detail her many successes. Whiteside's defense is that she committed her offenses while over-worked, over-stressed and certifiably mentally unfit. Her situation illustrates the greater issue that the military belittles mental illness and does not properly care for soldiers or officers who suffer from it.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Third-world workers exploited by U.S. security contractors
Matthew D. La Plante of The Salt Lake Tribune reports on workers from developing nations who are are employed by private security contractors working for the U.S. in Iraq. Federal reports suggest that four-fifths of the armed contractors come from other countries, and some earn as little as $31 per day. Human rights advocates say it's exploitation. United Nations officials say it's a violation of international law. But the U.S. government says that, at a time when its military is stretched so thin, third-world security contractors will be standing guard over U.S. facilities for a long time to come."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

State data reveal high veteran suicide rates
A five-month investigation by Armen Keteyian of CBS News uncovered a startling suicide rate for veterans. Neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Veterans Affairs keep accurate numbers on veteran suicide rates. CBS News requested suicide data from all 50 states dating back to 1995, and 45 states provided the information. In 2005, "there were at least 6,256 suicides among those who served in the armed forces. That's 120 each and every week, in just one year." Among veterans 20 to 24 years of age, the suicide rate was two to four times greater than non-veterans of the same age.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Whistle-blowers punished by system meant to protect them
A collaborative six-month investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting and Salon.com details the failings of whistleblower courts, which are intended to protect employees who speak out against corruption and abuses in government agencies. Instead, this forum is used to punish those who speak out for the public good. The investigation "found that federal whistle-blowers almost never receive legal protection after they take action. Instead, they often face agency managers and White House appointees intent upon silencing them rather than addressing the problems they raise...At whistleblower court, employees lose nearly 97 percent of the time."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Earmarks added $11.8 billion to defense bill
The Seattle Times kicked off an occasional series on Congressional earmarks, the companies that benefit and the political fundraising connected to the pork projects. David Heath and Hal Bernton report that, after months of collecting and checking data from press releases and campaign finance reports, they were able to "tie about half of the 2,700 earmarks in the 2007 defense spending bill to members of Congress." The estimated cost of the defense bill's add-ons: $11.8 billion.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Blackwater leaves dirty trail
PBS' Bill Moyers Journal features Jeremy Scahill, author of a book about Blackwater, a private U.S.-based company that is one of the largest private security contractors in Iraq, where its assignments have included protecting individuals and guarding the U.S. embassy. Scahill's interview comes in the wake of Congressional hearings after the company's employees were implicated in the killing of 17 Iraqis. Scahill speaks on these topics, rebutting much of Blackwater founder Erik Prince's media blitz following the various investigations of that September incident.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Marine vehicle contract questioned
An investigation by WXYZ-TV in Detroit reveals that the Marines awarded a vehicle contract for the Growler, a vehicle which consistently failed to meet the Marines' own standards according to internal evaluations, despite the fact that a superior vehicle designed by Detroit engineers was available. The Growler was originally designed without doors or a roof and has been described by some within the military as a “dune buggy with a machine gun.” The company that produces the Growler is owned by a retired Marine colonel who is alleged to have received the nearly $1 billion contract because of a longtime friendship with a powerful Marine Corps major general. As a result of the investigation, Sen. Carl Levin and two members of the House of Representatives called for an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Pentagon dismissed requests for mine-resistant vehicles
The Pentagon failed in its efforts to protect troops in Iraq, according to an investigation by Peter Eisler, Blake Morrison and Tom Vanden Brook of USA TODAY. The Pentagon has known for years that Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles could save lives for soldiers on patrol and in combat, but ignored appeals for such vehicles. USA TODAY found that the first requests for MRAPs came from Marines in December 2003. It was not until two months ago that the Pentagon finally backed supplying MRAPs for U.S. troops with thousands on order at a cost of nearly $2.4 billion. Some officials blame delays on adopting the MRAP for troop use on the belief that the war would not last this long.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Mental health care less than adequate at Walter Reed
In their continuing coverage of the issues surrounding Walter Reed, The Washington Post's most recent installment deals with soldiers who are returning home with mental health issues - namely Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - only to be met with an inadequate mental health system.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Unexploded munitions pose danger to area residents
Land that was once an isolated bombing range has since become prime real estate, the Newport News, Va.Daily Press reports. The land is still marked with dangerous remianders of its former purpose. "As the military has shut bases, bombing ranges and ordnance depots - and as it prepares to depart Fort Monroe in Hampton - it has left behind a landscape peppered with unexploded munitions that can still claim lives."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Collateral Damage - Human Rights and Military Aid after 9/11
The Center for Public Integrity has published "one of the most comprehensive resources on U.S. military aid and assistance in the post-9/11 era. 'Collateral Damage' couples the reporting of 10 of the world's leading investigative journalists on four continents with a powerful database combining U.S. military assistance, foreign lobbying expenditures, and human rights abuses into a single, easily accessible toolkit."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Delays impeded implementation of air defense system prior to 9/11
Michael Fabey of Aerospace Daily and Defense Report writes that the inability of the Pentagon and Canadian defense officials to keep a lid on costs and schedules may have cost them the opportunity to modernize their radar-based air defense system in time to possibly thwart the terrorist from completing their 9/11 attacks.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

US soldiers may be using inferior body armor
U.S. troops are not being provided with the best body armor according to an NBC News investigation. Lisa Myers reported that independent ballistics tests commissioned by NBC show that a product called Dragon Skin is safer than the Army-issued Interceptor armor in stopping the most lethal shots. The Army banned Dragon Skin last year before it was formally tested. Some suggest this is because it was not developed by the Army and that its ban was to protect funding for the Interceptor program. Based on its own testing, the CIA has chosen to provided their elite operatives in Iraq with Dragon Skin due to its superior protection.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Army recruits told to hide mental health issues
Phil Williams of WTVF-Nashville investigated questionable Army recruiting practices. In response to a investigation into the suicide of soldier while in basic training, NewChannel 5 took hidden cameras inside Army recruiting stations in Middle Tennessee to see how recruiters handled someone who revealed mental health issues. According to the deceased private's family, he was discouraged from disclosing information about his mental health history or the medications he was prescribed on account that they would disqualify him from serving. In three separate recruiting offices, NewsChannel 5's hidden-camera investigation found confirmation of this practice as Army recruiters discouraged disclosure of mental health histories for the sake of qualifying to serve.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Questions raised about Marine deaths at an-Nasiriyah
Eric Longabardi of ERSNews.com reports on exclusive photos from the battle at an-Nasiriyah in Iraq. Additional photographs used in the Pentagon's investigation were obtained by ERSNews.com through a FOIA request. The battle, in which 18 Marines were killed, is the largest single loss of American troops since the beginning of the war in Iraq. While the official Pentagon investigation states that this was a "friendly fire" incident, it also concludes that no Marines were killed by "friendly fire." According to a PRWire release, "The non-official photos obtained by ERSNews.com and additional exclusive investigative reporting indicate something other than the Pentagon's official explanation happened and nine US Marines lost their lives that day due to a deadly sequence of errors."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Navy lacks plan to defend against Russian-built missile
Tony Capaccio of Bloomberg reveals that the "U.S. Navy, after nearly six years of warnings from Pentagon testers, still lacks a plan for defending aircraft carriers against a supersonic Russian-built missile, according to current and former officials and Defense Department documents." Concern exists that the missile, known as the "Sizzler" may be purchased by Iran. A Pentagon budget document shows that the Navy has until April 29 to report on how it plans to defend against this weapon.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Sexual discrimination in Texas Air Guard
You've heard of the Bronze Star, but have you heard of "The Vagisil Award"? Mark Greenblatt of KHOU-Houston found it had been given to a female airman in the Texas Air National Guard and the humiliation nearly ruined her. He also uncovered claims of rampant sexual discrimination such as decorated women officers (one an Iraq war veteran and the winner of the Bronze Star) who say their male commanding officers tanked their careers. The report has caught the eye of Congressional members who are now promising action.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Investigation launched, repairs started after report on Walter Reed
In their continued coverage of conditions at Walter Reed, Dana Priest and Anne Hull of The Washington Post report that while Michael J. Wagner directed the Medical Family Assistance Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he also was seeking funders and soliciting donations for his own new charity, based in Dallas, according to documents and interviews with current and former staff members. Walter Reed launched a criminal investigation of Wagner last week after The Post sought a response to his charitable activities while also running the Army's largest effort to help outpatient soldiers.

Additionally, repairs to Building 18 were started on Monday after The Post reported on the deteriorating conditons in its series "The Other Walter Reed."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Marines in Iraq angered by lack of proper equipment
A report by Richard Lardner of the Tampa Tribune indicates that "civilian casualties in Iraq's volatile Anbar province would have been greatly reduced over the past 20 months if an inexpensive, hand-held laser system had been sent to the Marines operating there, according to a series of e-mail messages between troops in the field and acquisition officials in suburban Washington." Two requests by the Marine officials in Iraq have gone unfilled since 2005; officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico cite inadequate testing and safety reviews of the laser systems.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

"The Other Walter Reed"
In a two part series, Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and Anne Hull uncover dismal conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "The common perception of Walter Reed is of a surgical hospital that shines as the crown jewel of military medicine. But 5 ½ years of sustained combat have transformed the venerable 113-acre institution into something else entirely -- a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients." Priest and Hall interviewed patients, families, veterans aid groups and former Walter Reed staff for four months without permission from Walter Reed officials. Part one and two.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Taxpayers foot bill to insure contractors in Iraq
Joseph Neff of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., that the U.S. government is responsible for paying insurance premiums and benefits for all private contractors working in Iraq. "These insurance policies differ from conventional workers' comp in one major way: Domestic workers' comp is heavily regulated and analyzed, but the contractors' insurance is not. The U.S. Department of Labor monitors the number of claims and resolves disputes over benefits, but it has no authority over pricing of availability." Currently, there are about 100,000 private contractors working in Iraq.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Military introduces new mental-health guidelines for troops
Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman of The Hartford Courant reported that the U.S. military has issued sweeping new mental-health guidelines that expand screening for troops being sent to war and set limits on when service members with psychiatric problems can be kept in combat. The changes are aimed at meeting a congressional mandate prompted by a May series in The Courant, titled "Mentally Unfit, Forced to Fight," that exposed gaps in the military's mental health care system. The Courant reported that mentally troubled troops were being sent to Iraq and kept there, in some cases with fatal consequences. The paper had obtained Defense Department records indicating that service members' mental illnesses were being missed or ignored during pre-deployment screenings. They also obtained investigative reports that revealed many of the troops who committed suicide in Iraq had clear signs of psychological distress that were dismissed or ignored.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Air Force rushed air defense system
In a follow-up to an earlier story, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report's Michael Fabey writes that the Air Force rushed the deployment of its airspace defense system by bypassing typical Pentagon standards. Information received by The Daily indicates that "the Air Force accepted the BCS-F [Battle Control System-Fixed] even though it did not meet the Air Force-established IOC (initial operational capability) criteria as a standalone command-and-control (C2) system for the continental United States (CONUS) because it had a pressing need." As of October 2006, the program was nearly 2 years behind schedule and $65 million over budget.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

"Inquest for a Warrior"
The Associated Press has published a series, "Inquest for a Warrior", which looks at the probe into the April 2004 death of Pat Tillman in Afghanistan.

• Startling findings in the Tillman probe
• Pat Tillman's last day, reconstructed
• Penalties resulting from Tillman's death
• Charges possible in Pat Tillman's death
• Sources used by the AP in Tillman probe

Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Criminal investigators tried to stop abuses at Gitmo
In a 2-part series for MSNBC.com, Bill Dedman details the investigations into detainee abuses at Guantanamo. "[F]ormer leaders of the Defense Department's Criminal Investigation Task Force said they repeatedly warned senior Pentagon officials beginning in early 2002 that the harsh interrogation techniques used by a separate intelligence team would not produce reliable information, could constitute war crimes, and would embarrass the nation when they became public knowledge." Despite these warnings against aggressive interrogation techniques, such abuses continued at Gitmo. Techniques used on Mohammed al-Qahtani (the alleged "20th hijacker") could make him "unprosecutable".
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Remaking the U.S. Intelligence Community: Playing Defense
In this week's U.S. News & World Report cover story -- part two of their series -- David E. Kaplan and Kevin Whitelaw reveal how America's top spies are attempting the most sweeping reforms since the intelligence community's creation nearly 60 years ago. The investigation is based, in part, on interviews with nearly two dozen senior intelligence officials -- including Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte and CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden. Among the findings: classified budget figures reveal the US intelligence budget has more than doubled in the last eight years; nearly 100,000 people work in the intel community -- including 17,000 analysts; reformers are opening to US allies some of the goverment's most classified computer networks, including the Pentagon's backbone warfighting SIPRNET system; and FBI agents are now being trained in CIA case officer tradecraft at the "Farm," the CIA's top-secret training campus.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Air defense system behind schedule and over budget
Michael Fabey of Aerospace Daily & Defense Report writes that the Air Force's planned defense system meant to protect the US against a repeat of 9/11-type aviation attacks is 2 years behind schedule and millions over budget. In the meantime, the US relies on NORAD Contingency Suite - the interim system put in place immediately following 9/11 - which marries FAA radars with militariy Air Defense Sectors to more thoroughly monitor US airspace.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Afgan detainee deaths concealed by US Special Forces
Kevin Sack and Craig Pyes, special to The Los Angeles Times, report on misconduct by U.S. Special Forces in Afganistan. On two separate occasions, the Special Forces team concealed the death of Afgan detainees. "What distinguishes these two fatalities from scores of other questionable deaths in U.S. custody is that they were successfully concealed — not just from the American public but from the military's chain of command and legal authorities. " In addition, there are reports of excessive brutality by the Special Forces. The deaths were brought to light by an investigation by The Times and Crimes of War Project, a nonprofit educational organization. They remain under investigation by the Army.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Ground war costs dominate defense budget
The most recent Pentagon contract data show more payments for logistics, support and ground vehicles and less money for aviation programs, compared to a year ago. "One year of wartime operations equals about four years' worth during peacetime, analysts say. In Iraq, with the harsh environment, the ratio has been more like one to five." Michael Fabey of Aerospace Daily & Defense Report analyzed 1.5 million defense contracts and related revisions found in the federal contract database available from the IRE and NICAR Database Library.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Aviation deaths down but accidents increasing for Army
Michael Fabey of Aerospace Daily reported that while aviation-related deaths have decreased, serious accidents have seen a dramatic increase in 2006 over the past three-year period. Analysis of the Army's aircraft records database revealed this trend. "The largest increase, percentage-wise, has been in the number of incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - which only relatively recently have been used by the Army and included in the database - and ground-related aviation mishaps. The Army reported 113 such mishaps in 2006, which was 25 percent more than the 90 reported in fiscal 2005 and a 126 percent increase compared to the three-year average of 50, the Army reported. Class B accidents increased by 50 percent for the year and more than 150 percent compared to the three-year average."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Sexual misconduct and military recruiters
Associated Press reporter Martha Mendoza reports on a probe into sexual misconduct by military recruiters. In a six-month investigation, the AP found "at least 35 Army recruiters, 18 Marine Corps recruiters, 18 Navy recruiters and 12 Air Force recruiters were disciplined for sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior with potential enlistees in 2005, according to records obtained by the AP under dozens of Freedom of Information Act requests."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Vietnam war crimes revisited
In continued coverage of unpunished war crimes during the Vietnam War, Deborah Nelson and Nick Turse, special to the Los Angeles Times, reveal disturbing details of military cover-ups. " While the Army was working energetically to discredit Herbert, military investigators were uncovering torture and mistreatment that went well beyond what he had described. The abuses were not made public, and few of the wrongdoers were punished." Included in their report are excerpts of the declassified documents which detail these cover-ups.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

War Crimes in Vietnam went unpunished
A report by Nick Turse and Deborah Nelson for the Los Angeles Times shows recently declassified documents regarding war crimes committed during the Vietnam War establish that hundreds of soldiers went unpunished for crimes against Vietnamese civilians. "The records describe recurrent attacks on ordinary Vietnamese — families in their homes, farmers in rice paddies, teenagers out fishing. Hundreds of soldiers, in interviews with investigators and letters to commanders, described a violent minority who murdered, raped and tortured with impunity." Retired Brig. Gen John H. Johns served on the task force and once believed these records should remain classified, but has since changed his perspective due to similar alleged abuses in Iraq. "We can't change current practices unless we acknowledge the past."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Witnesses, Army records describe confusion and cover-ups in Tillman case
ESPN.com offers a series delving deeper into the 2004 death of Pfc. Pat Tillman, who left the NFL to serve with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan, and the questions still under investigation by the defense department. TThe story of Tillman's patriotism and personal sacrifice made headlines, but the Pentagon later acknowledged that he was killed by friendly fire. "For the past five months, in an effort to shed light on how Tillman died and whether there was an attempt to use his good name and valor for political purposes, ESPN.com has interviewed nine of the 35 Rangers who were engaged with Tillman in the firefight, more than 50 additional Army officials, politicians, and medical and military experts, plus relatives of the principals involved in the incident." Mike Fish's reporting is accompanied by links to eyewitness interviews and original documents. The second part explores official efforts to promote Tillman as a fallen hero. "The Army began crafting Tillman's Silver Star application in the days just after his death; and according to transcripts of investigation witness statements, top Army officials already suspected fratricide when they wrote it."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Troops kept on duty while mentally unfit
Lisa Chedekel and Matthew Kauffman of The Hartford Courant used military investigative records to show that unsuitable practices handling troops mental health "have helped to fuel an increase in the suicide rate among troops serving in Iraq, which reached an all-time high in 2005 when 22 soldiers killed themselves — accounting for nearly one in five of all Army non-combat deaths." The investigation found that "at least 11 service members who committed suicide in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 were kept on duty despite exhibiting signs of significant psychological distress" and "the military is sending troops back into combat for second and third tours despite diagnoses of PTSD or other combat-related psychological problems."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Classified military information on sale in bazaar
Paul Watson of the Los Angeles Times found stolen computer drives containing classified military assessments of enemy targets, names of corrupt Afghan officials and descriptions of American defenses were on sale in the local bazaar no more than 200 yards from the main gate of the U.S. base in Bagram, Afghanistan. "Shop owners at the bazaar say Afghan cleaners, garbage collectors and other workers from the base arrive each day offering purloined goods, including knives, watches, refrigerators, packets of Viagra and flash memory drives taken from military laptops." The thefts of computer drives have the potential to expose military secrets as well as Social Security numbers and other identifying information of military personnel. Some of the drives found included deployment rosters and other documents that identified nearly 700 U.S. service members and their Social Security numbers, information that identity thieves could use to open credit card accounts in soldiers' names.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Agency's spy satellite technology loses relevance
Michael Fabey of the DefenseNews looks into the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office's fading imaging- and signals-intelligence program that reportedly has an annual budget of about $7 billion. "A satellite communications technology called spot beaming might help the NRO regain some of its fading signals-intelligence relevance, but imagery's place as an intel centerpiece may have gone with the Cold War. " The investigation found that images, which were useful when counting Soviet tanks or measuring the size of an East German air base, aren't much help against small terrorist cells. And people have learned to hide from orbital cameras by going indoors or underground when the satellites pass overhead. These drawbacks will not be overcome by the NRO's Future Imagery Architecture, a dozen-satellite constellation intended to provide photos of unprecedented resolution in visible and infrared spectra. The $25 billion-plus program, now set to launch around 2013, has been beset by delays and cost overruns.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Contractors are invisible casualties in Iraq
Alejandra Fernandez-Morera of the Scripps Howard News Service found there are significant invisible casualties of the Iraqi occupation. Almost 505 civilian contractors have died in Iraq since the beginning of the war. "Another 4,744 contractors have been injured, according to insurance claims by 209 companies on file at the Department of Labor." The investigation found that neither the Pentagon nor American corporations who hire contractors to support the U.S. military in Iraq will identify the Americans and foreign nationals who have died, citing privacy and security reasons. The unnamed civilians have become a significant part of the cost of the Iraqi occupation, accounting for at least one-sixth of U.S. fatalities suffered. Because the Pentagon has outsourced thousands of jobs, American contractors have become a new kind of Unknown Soldier.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Classified satellite-related contracts on the rise
Michael Fabey of Defense News analyzed 3 million contract and modification records from 2000 through 2004 to show that U.S. agencies made more than 2,100 deals worth $1.2 billion for satellite telecommunications and related work. "U.S. federal agencies issued about 35,000 contracts and related modifications for general space-related work, worth about $40.2 billion, the analysis showed." Space work could include software, equipment or other components for any type of space work, including but not limited to satellites. The records showed that about 800 of the satellite-related contracts were for programs listed as "classified or non-discernible." The total number of all federal government contracts and associated modifications for classified programs show an increase from about 281,000 in 2001 to about 446,000 in 2003, an increase mirrored by space and satellite work.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Malpractice cases raise questions about hospital's care
Rob Perez of The Honolulu Advertiser investigated the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii to show that a number of families are seeking compensation for what they allege was substandard care, in a series that looks at medical malpractice at Tripler. "The cases have generated questions about the overall quality of care provided at the landmark pink O'ahu hospital that serves as the major treatment facility for thousands of Hawai'i's military, their families, veterans and others. "The investigation found that the federal government has spent tens of millions of dollars over the past two decades to resolve about 170 cases among more than 600 filed in which patients or their families accused Tripler of shoddy care. The tab to taxpayers has totaled more than $60 million in court judgments, out-of-court settlements and resolution of medical malpractice claims. The government, for instance, has paid more than $14 million to resolve about 150 claims since 1985.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Vehicle planned for Marines said to be 'dangerous'
Joseph Neff of The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer reports that a vehicle the Marines plan to use for transport of troops and mortars may be inadequate. The vehicles, called Growlers, look "a lot like a Vietnam-era jeep. But this model, a modified dune buggy, costs $127,000 each and doesn't have armor. Some experts worry that it is vulnerable to attack, too slow and too prone to rolling over, making it dangerous in combat." The Growlers would be carried on the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor aircraft that can fly as both helicopter and airplane and has had its own share of problems.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Killers buried among military heroes
Richard Lardner and Doug Stanley of The Tampa Tribune report at least 50 veterans who committed homicides in civilian life are interred at Florida National Cemetery, "the final resting place for tens of thousands of military veterans," according to the paper's analysis of cemetery and prison records. The paper reports Congress is expected to pass legislation prohibiting killers from being buried in national cemeteries and receiving military honors at their funerals.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Italian news channel reports U.S. used chemical weapons
RAI 24 News, a news channel in Italy, reports that the United States used white phosphorus as a chemical weapon in the November 2004 attack on Fallujah. The Christian Science Monitor writes about the piece, including information and links from other news sources. RAI's Web site includes a statement from the U.S. Embassy that, in part, says "The United States do not use napalm or white phosphorus as chemical weapons or as a surrogate. The United States have destroyed their last stock of napalm in 2001."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Despite donations, charities spend little on vets
Matthew Kauffman of The Hartford Courant conducted a computer-assisted analysis of federal financial records for nearly 300 veterans' charities across the country to show that veterans' charities, whose donations have increased since the start of the Iraqi War, lag well behind other charities when it comes to the percentage of money that goes directly to services for those in need. The report identified some charities that raised millions of dollars but provided no services to veterans. Among them are the American Veterans Coalition, a Seattle-based charity that raised $1 million in 2003 and spent nothing on veterans, and the American Veterans Relief Foundation of Santa Ana, Calif., which raised $3.6 million and spent less than 1 percent on veterans. "A handful of veterans' groups spend almost nothing on veterans' causes, diverting 90 percent or more of their money to administrative and fundraising costs. Scores of others claim hefty spending on charitable programs, but only by including a large portion of the cost of their fundraising drives as charitable expenses"
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Decades of dumping of weapons pose threat
John M.R. Bull of the Daily Press examined Army records to show that the previously classified weapons-dumping program was far more extensive than ever suspected and that chemical weapons that the Army dumped at sea decades ago are ending up on shore in the United States. The Army now admits that it secretly dumped 64 million pounds of nerve and mustard agents into the sea, along with 400,000 chemical-filled bombs, land mines and rockets and more than 500 tons of radioactive waste - either tossed overboard or packed into the holds of scuttled vessels. The investigation found that "these weapons of mass destruction virtually ring the country, concealed off at least 11 states - six on the East Coast, two on the Gulf Coast, California, Hawaii and Alaska. Few, if any, state officials have been informed of their existence. " Furthermore, with records missing, and some destroyed, the Army is unaware of the exact locations of the dumped weapons.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Pentagon program results in inflated prices
Lauren Markoe and Seth Borenstein of Knight Ridder Newspapers conducted a computer database analysis to show that a Defense Department purchasing program called prime vendor is costing taxpayers 20 percent more than the previous system. " Run by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the program is based on a military procurement strategy to speed delivery of supplies such as bananas and bolts to troops in the field." The database analysis consisted of a comparison of prices charged by a small segment of prime vendors and prices for the same items purchased from companies outside the prime vendor program. A total of 2.37 million pieces of equipment cost the government $37 million, $1.2 million more than what the government would have paid normally outside the program.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Despite crimes, U.S. soldiers immune from punishments in Iraq
Russell Carollo and Larry Kaplow of the Dayton Daily News and Cox News Service used a Pentagon database to show that "dozens of soldiers have been accused of crimes against Iraqis since the first troops deployed for Iraq. But despite strong evidence and convictions in some cases, only a small percentage resulted in punishments nearing those routinely imposed for such crimes by civilian justice systems." The paper analyzed records from the Army Court-Martial Management Information System, finding 226 soldiers charged between the initial deployment and Jan. 1, 2005.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Homes in high-risk areas predate Navy base
Jon W. Glass and David Gulliver of The Virginian-Pilot used city property records to show that " hundreds of homes in the highest-risk areas around Oceana Naval Air Station were built before it became an air base and before Navy flight patterns exposed some neighborhoods to potential jet crashes." A base-closing commission has recommended that Virginia Beach condemn and purchase properties in the neighborhoods around the base if its jets are to remain. More than 3,400 such properties exist, nearly twice an earlier city estimate. The story also includes a link to all residences in Oceana's highest crash zone, by street.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Navy contracted for planes in CIA operation
Seth Hettena of The Associated Press reports the Navy issued contracts for planes "reportedly used to fly terror suspects to countries known to practice torture." The AP says documents from the Department of Defense, obtained through a FOIA request, involve more planes (33) than previously reported. While there was "scrutiny in 2001, but what hasn't been disclosed is the Navy's role in contracting planes involved in operations the CIA terms 'rendition' and what Italian prosecutors call kidnapping."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Concerns raised over Guard's possible spying
Army investigators and a state senator are examining California's National Guard after Dion Nissenbaum of the San Jose Mercury News reported the Guard established an intelligence unit that has "been involved in tracking at least one recent Mother's Day anti-war rally organized by families of slain American soldiers." The Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence Fusion program is part of the state's anti-terrorism initiatives and Guard officials said the unit would not collect information about U.S. citizens. Sen. Joe Dunn had asked the Guard to "preserve any documents related to monitoring of the anti-war rally and the new intelligence unit" but the Guard erased the hard drive of a retiring colonel who oversaw the intelligence unit." Dunn is seeking legislative subpeonas to get access to information.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Private contractors pour $2.5 billion into city
L.A. Lorek of the San Antonio Express-News used federal contracts data to examine the largest military contractors in San Antonio. Lorek found the Pentagon's reliance on private companies has let to a boom for local businesses who "provide everything from oil and food to aircraft parts and weapons research." In 2003, the top 20 contractors received $2.5 billion worth of contracts, making San Antonio the second-largest military contracting city in Texas. That money went toward making canteen covers, ammunition vests, aluminum cots; meals ready to eat; developing software, building and maintaining aircraft. (Editor's Note: The Federal Procurement Data System is available to journalists from IRE and NICAR.)
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Thousands of civilians risk lives running bases, protecting officials
Producers Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria of Frontline worked with the Center for Public Integrity reporters André Verlöy and Bob Williams on "Private Warriors," a collaborative effort between Frontline, RAINMedia and the Center for Public Integrity. The documentary investigates private contractors servicing U.S. military supply lines, running U.S. military bases, and protecting U.S. diplomats and generals. "There are as many as 100,000 civilian contractors and approximately 20,000 private security forces." The investigation includes transcripts of interviews and a frequently asked questions section.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Fire district underestimates cost of helicopter
Andrew McIntosh of The Sacramento Bee used state public records to show that "the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District spent at least $790,000 to refurbish and equip a military surplus helicopter for firefighting and rescues, more than twice the $300,000 budget its elected board originally approved for the project." A member of the fire district's board called the vehicle "a toy for the chief." Eight other California counties or cities have firefighting helicopters. "Documents show district officials grossly underestimated the need for costly spare parts, that some expenses were labeled 'operating costs' when the aircraft wasn't operating and that the board approved the helicopter hoping that it might generate revenue to defray costs, but little money has been raised."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Marine Corps issued flawed armor
Christian Lowe of the Marine Corps Times used the Freedom of Information Act to show that "the Marine Corps issued to nearly 10,000 troops body armor that government experts urged the Corps to reject after tests revealed critical, life-threatening flaws in the vests." The Marines obtained about 19,000 pieces of armor from Point Blank Body Armor Inc. that failed government tests, with a Marine program manager signing a waiver to permit their use. The story prompted the service to issue recalls for the vests.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Problems shielding troops more extensive than thought
Michael Moss of the New York Times used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain documents showing that "the Pentagon's difficulties in shielding troops and their vehicles with armor have been far more extensive and intractable than officials have acknowledged." The paper used a Department of Defense inspector general's report that outlined the problems in supplying armor to soldiers in Iraq. "The Pentagon put the inspector general on the case after Defense Department officials, noticing that its allies were getting armor so quickly, became suspicious that they were taking armor intended for American soldiers. But the report wound up criticizing the Pentagon instead."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Delays, inconsistencies plague veteran affairs
Chris Adams and Alison Young of Knight-Ridder Newspapers sued the Veterans Administration to obtain records never before released to the public. They showed that "injured soldiers who petition the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for those payments are often doomed by lengthy delays, hurt by inconsistent rulings and failed by the veterans representatives who try to help them." Knight-Ridder compiled a database comparing VA regional offices, finding "wildly inconsistent results" in providing care to vets. Ted Mellnik of the Charlotte Observer assisted with formatting the database for display on the Web site; here's how the series was done.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Helicopter problems put crew members at risk
Michael Fabey of the Savannah Morning News used Coast Guard data to find that "Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter engines continue to lose power, threatening the lives of pilots and crew members. There were 423 incidents of power failure in the helicopters in the fleet between Aug. 4, 1985, and Sept. 30, 2004." Air Station Savannah ranked in the middle of Coast Guard stations in number of incidents reported.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Texas hispanics dying at an alarming rate in Iraq
Juan Castillo and Bill Bishop of the Austin American-Statesman studied military deaths from the war in Iraq to find that "Hispanic Texans are dying in Iraq at a rate more than 60 percent higher than the rate for the nation's military-age population as a whole." Texas Hispanics and rural Americans serving in Iraq have some of the highest mortality rates. Statistican Robert Cushing did the analysis for the paper.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

High pay for civilian contractors
Kevin Begos and Phoebe Zerwick of the Winston-Salem Journal used details from federal contracts to contractors in Iraq to calculate a basic labor rate of $350,000 a year for a "liaison officer under the contract that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Charlotte's Zapata Engineering to help dispose of captured munitions. It's 10 times what the average soldier or member of the National Guard earns, even for full combat duty."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

War fatalities hit hardest in Vermont
Jody Tillman of the Valley News used state-by-state analysis to compare Vermont's fatality numbers compared to other states. The Valley News found that Vermont had the "highest death rate of any state among soldiers and Marines deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between March 1, 2003, and October 31, 2004: 5.6 per 1,000 troops." They also found that "Vermont had the highest number of deaths when measured against state population. As of Jan. 8, Vermont had 1.64 military deaths per 100,000 residents, more than three times the national average." Also included is a state-by-state comparison of per capita deaths among soldiers and marines, as well as a deaths per 1,000 deployed and National Guard participation.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

The collapse of a spy case
Ray Rivera of The Seattle Times made heavy use of FOIA in his series on James Yee, the Army chaplain accused of espionage but later honorably discharged. The paper posted a collection of documents it obtained in reporting the story and also described its methodology.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Best tests not available to U.S. veterans
Bob Evans of The Daily Press in Newport News, Va., has a series about the use of depleted uranium in weapons and the science that shows links between the element and illness. "In the past few years, while the media and public have been paying attention to another war in the region, doctors and researchers have been finding out more about depleted uranium and how it might be responsible for some of the problems suffered by veterans of the Gulf War." Evans also looks at a new testing program that's available to British veterans. The British tests are more rigorous and accurate than those used by the U.S. military. "The Pentagon says U.S. vets don't need it."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Reservists frustrated by medical holds
Marsha Austin and Eileen Kelly of The Denver Post examined the "medical hold" system used by the National Guard and the Army Reserve. More than 13,000 mentally and physically ill soldiers have spent time in a "medical holdover" unit, a system that some say denies them access to quality care. "Beyond the frustration of being cooped up in a barracks, with untreated mental and physical ailments, reservists and guardsmen say the system frustrates their efforts to be medically retired, a discharge that requires an Army judgment of 30 percent disability and comes with a lifetime monthly pension and access to military perks such as commissary stores."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Peacetime more dangerous for Army
Michael Fabey of the Savannah Morning News finds "there is no proof that being in a war zone has anything to do with the number of mishaps." While accidents in Iraq and Afghanistan are in the headlines, Fabey's computer analysis of Army safety records dating to 1972 finds that "the largest number of accidents in the service occurred when the United States was not at war - unless you count the cold one."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Vets uninformed about poison gas tests
David Zeman of the Detroit Free Press unearths details of a military program that tested the effects of chemical exposure on soldiers during World War II. The Veterans Administration pledged to find vets sickened by the program, but the agency "contacted nobody. Not one letter. Not a single phone call — even after the Pentagon turned over lists of thousands of potential victims. The VA relied mainly on unpaid public service ads in veterans magazines, even though the agency was aware that most veterans don't see those publications." One unit involved "does not even exist in Washington's official database on the testing program." Other contributors to the series include analyst Victoria Turk, and researchers Shelley Lavey, Patrice Williams and Chris Kucharski.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Iraq contractors tack on multiple costs
Joseph Neff and Jay Price of The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer looked at the contracts of private military contractors in Iraq and revealed "how costs can add up when the government uses private military contractors to perform tasks once handled by the Army." They detail one case in which, Blackwater, a company based in North Carolina, added a 36 percent markup and its overhead costs, then sent the bill to a Kuwaiti company that tacked on its costs for vehicles and weapons and a profit and then sent an invoice to a German company called ESS. That company added its costs and profit and sent its bill to Halliburton, which added overhead and a profit and presented the final bill to the Pentagon.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

380 tons of explosives missing in Iraq
James Glanz, William J. Broad and David E. Sanger of The New York Times, in cooperation with CBS News' 60 Minutes, report that nearly 380 tons of conventional explosives are missing from one of Iraq's former military installations. The facility was supposed to be under American military control, but White House and Pentagon officials said the explosives vanished sometime after the invasion last year. U.S. officials said they could not explain why the explosives were left unguarded, beyond the fact that coalition forces were overwhelmed by the amount of munitions found throughout Iraq. In a follow-up story, the leader of the military unit that visited the complex said they did not have orders to search for explosives there. The Times published a timeline of events.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Data reveals claims made by Iraqis against U.S.
Russell Carollo, Larry Kaplow, Mike Wagner and Ken McCall of the Dayton Daily News report on thousands of civil claims made by Iraqis against the U.S. Army in Iraq, cases found in a database obtained by the paper under the Freedom of Information Act. "The records provide a previously unseen portrait of the toll the war has had on civilians in Iraq, and the kinds of incidents described in the records have fueled the growing insurgency and hatred toward the American-led coalition. About 78 percent of the claims are for incidents that occurred after President Bush declared major combat operations over on May 2, 2003." The claims involve more than 400 deaths, although the paper reports that an Army official estimated that as many as 18,000 were filed in 2003. Some of the claims are from people detained in prisons by the military.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

FOI suit reveals more National Guard documents
A new set of papers uncovered through Freedom of Information lawsuits by The Associated Press show that President Bush "stopped flying and attending regular drills two-thirds of the way through his six-year commitment — without consequence." The AP "identified large numbers of documents that should have been produced under the Guard's 1970s regulations but had not been released, such as flight logs and mission orders. It sued in both federal and Texas state court and filed supplemental document requests to get answers." The AP also includes a chronology of the questions that have been raised about President Bush's service and some of the explanations that he and his spokesmen have given.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Virus infecting military boot camps
Michael J. Berens of The Seattle Times finds that a respiratory virus that the U.S. military used to vaccinate against now "infects up to 2,500 service members monthly — a staggering 1 in 10 recruits — in the nation's eight basic-training centers." Adenovirus has been associated with the deaths of at least six recruits since vaccinations ended in 1996. Four of those deaths were in the past year, according to an analysis of military health-care records. Wyeth, the company that produced the vaccine, stopped making it in the 1990s when the Pentagon stopped allocating funds to pay for it. "The Pentagon's unwillingness to spend $5 million on health care is now costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars to remedy." The online presentation of the story includes links to source documents.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

DOD awards billions in no-bid contracts
The Center for Public Integrity examined contract data from the Department of Defense and found that "over the past six years, the Pentagon has awarded some $362 billion to companies without competitive bidding." In addition, "the report, which covers 1998-2003, documents the extent to which the Defense Department has become dependent on outside contractors, finding that every annual increase in defense spending has been matched by an equal increase in contracting."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Bush failed to meet Guard obligations
Boston Globe reporters Stephen Kurkjian, Francie Latour, Sacha Pfeiffer and Michael Rezendes, and editor Walter V. Robinson reexamined President Bush's military records and found that in 1968 and in 1973 he pledged to meet National Guard commitments then failed to do so. "The reexamination of Bush's records by the Globe, along with interviews with military specialists who have reviewed regulations from that era, show that Bush's attendance at required training drills was so irregular that his superiors could have disciplined him or ordered him to active duty in 1972, 1973, or 1974. But they did neither."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Military officials choose administrative discipline
Miles Moffeit and Arthur Kane of The Denver Post obtained Pentagon records, some via the Freedom of Information Act, showing that "by more than a 2-to-1 ratio, military officials have handed down administrative discipline rather than pursue criminal punishments for service members accused of prisoner abuse or sexual-assault crimes in war zones." The cases involve beatings, manslaughter and rape by former service members during the Iraq war. "From the start of the Iraq war in February 2003 through the middle of this year, 66 service members accused of prisoner abuse or sex assault were given administrative punishments, including fines and reprimands, compared with 29 sent to courts-martial."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

S.C. soldiers bearing high burden of war
Chuck Crumbo of The (Columbia, S.C.) State analyzed casualties from the Iraq war to find that the Palmetto State is bearing a high burden: The paper's study "shows the war's death rate for South Carolina — the 26th-largest state — is eighth in the United States at almost one death per 200,000 residents. That's 50 percent above the national average." Twenty of the more than 950 U.S. soldiers killed came from South Carolina, and 11 were African-Americans.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

IRE awards three medals
An astonishing story of brutal war crimes by The (Toledo, Ohio) Blade and a book on the American tax system by David Cay Johnston took top honors in the 2003 IRE Awards. In addition, the Freedom of Information Award went to a team from the (Sioux Falls, S.D.) Argus Leader for exposing a massive secret pardons program rife with questions and conflicts for the governor.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Military justice system mishandles sexual abuse cases
Miles Moffeit and Amy Herdy of The Denver Post have a three-part series on sexual assaults in the military, concluding that the recent investigation of cases at the Air Force Academy are only part of the picture. "All the armed forces have mishandled sexual-assault cases by discouraging victims from pursuing complaints, conducting flawed investigations and depriving victims of support services, according to interviews with military women and an examination of records." The paper spoke with more than 50 victims and reviewed thousands of documents.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Marine cover-up: Massacre of POWs by U.S. troops in Korea
Eric Longabardi, Kit R. Roane, and Edward T. Pound of U.S. News & World Report investigate the cover-up of a secret Marine-IG investigation into a former soldier’s claims that North Korean prisoners of war were murdered during a battle in Seoul in 1950. "The Marine Corps investigators failed to pursue a critical piece of evidence: the after-action report for Easy Company, written on Feb. 15, 1951. The 10-page report covered combat operations that began with the Sept. 15, 1950, ... " The report contains this question: "How long did it take you to go through Seoul?" The detailed response includes this damaging statement on Page 4: "The killing of prisoners is something that should be watched. We had some of that going on."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Contracts in Iraq present problems
Rod Nordland and Michael Hirsh of Newsweek investigate allegations of "overspending, favoritism and corruption" in the contracts awarded to help rebuild Iraq. "Six months ago the administration decided to cut corners on normal bidding procedures and hand over large contracts to defense contractors like Bechtel and Halliburton on a limited-bid or no-bid basis." The magazine says there may be "just as many problems ahead, raising serious questions about the vast amounts of money Bush has demanded for Iraq with little tolerance for debate."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Political donations made by contractors examined
In a six-month investigation, The Center for Public Integrity finds that more than 70 companies and people have been awarded contracts for work in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that they have "donated more money to the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush — a little over $500,000 — than to any other politician over the last dozen years." The Center says it has compiled "the most comprehensive list to date of American contractors in the two nations that were attacked in Washington's war on terror."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Army unit's actions in Vietnam went unpunished
Michael D. Sallah and Mitch Weiss of The (Toledo, Ohio) Blade investigate alleged war crimes by an American Army platoon in 1967, finding that although "the Army substantiated 20 war crimes by 18 Tiger Force soldiers committed in 1967 — with numerous eyewitnesses — no charges were filed. ... Instead, the case was hidden in the Army's archives, and key suspects were allowed to continue their military careers." Included with the several stories are audio files of platoon members interviewed years after the incidents
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Canadian businesses benefit from war in Iraq
Steven Theobald, Chris Sorensen and Jim Rankin of The Toronto Star report that while Canada declined to send troops to participate in the war in Iraq, Canadian businesses have received more than 4,300 U.S. government contracts from 1997 to 2002, including $1.8 billion in work for the Pentagon. "From big-ticket light armoured vehicles and sophisticated weaponry to protective gear and mundane, low-tech products, Canadian business is cashing in." The paper used federal contract data compiled by the General Services Administration for its analysis.
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

Democrats get rides in National Guard fighter jets
Bill Theobald of The Indianapolis Star reports that the Indiana National Guard has approved flights in an F-16 fighter jet for 11 civilians during the past 21 months, including major Democratic contributors and activists. The Guard's leader, Maj. Gen. George A. Buskirk Jr., is himself a significant contributor to Indiana Democrats. "Since 1997, nine of the 11 riders approved by Buskirk have given Democrats $237,557. He also approved a ride to one Republican contributor, who gave $3,639. The two Democratic donors under the man Buskirk replaced, Maj. Gen. Robert J. Mitchell, gave $24,497."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post

FOIA request reveals lost, stolen military weapons
Sydney P. Freedberg and Connie Humburg of the St. Petersburg Times report that "since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, thousands of pounds of explosives, hundreds of mines, mortars, grenades and firearms and dozens of rockets and artillery rounds have been lost or stolen from U.S. stockpiles, government documents show." The Times used a FOIA request to obtain details on 242 cases of lost or stolen munitions, mostly from Army installations. "More than half of the roughly 150 thefts were inside jobs involving military personnel, National Guardsmen or civilian employees of the military."
Direct LINK to This Extra! Extra! Post