Letter: War costs should be returned to taxpayers

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006 | 7:58 a.m.

Sunday's "60 Minutes" program on CBS had a segment entitled "The Mother of all Heists." Ali Allawi, current Iraqi financial minister, when asked why there was no serious investigation of $500 million that is missing, said too many people in power have had their hands in the cookie jar. CBS named names in its report and all of them seem to have been members of the early interim government blessed by Paul Bremer and other U.S. officials.

The thievery that went on in Iraq warrants a serious investigation. That investigation should not be limited to Iraqis but should include accountability of U.S. government officials and such firms as Halliburton and its subcontractors. I cannot fathom why there should not be more accountability for the billions of American taxpayers' dollars that have been wasted, squandered and purloined. Some way, somehow, these monies should be returned to the American taxpayer. After all, did not members of the Bush administration say that Iraqi oil revenues would pay for the war?

Where has the news media been on this issue? CBS' "60 Minutes" brings us the first real exposure to this crime. Where has the rest of the media been?

The Veterans Affairs Department has been woefully underfunded. It is not going to be able to meet the needs of the 20,000 wounded veterans of this debacle.

Ray Harbert, Las Vegas