Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan Final Report

The Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan issued its final report, finding over $30 billion in waste and fraud from U.S.-funded contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade. The eight-member, bipartisan commission created by Congress in 2008 concluded that much of the waste and fraud could have been avoided. They warned that unless changes are made, the effectiveness of money spent in future wartime operations will be undercut. Some of the problems outlined in the report included poor planning by the government amd poor performance by contractors, “ill-conceived” projects, and blatant corruption. The commission also recommended the creation of a permanent inspector general office for contingency operations to monitor wartime contracts. Virginia Senator Jim Webb, the original sponsor of the legislation that created the commission, spoke briefly about the report and some of its recommendations. close