Pentagon's 'Lost' Trillions Pocketed by Military-Industrial Complex

The first ever audit of the Pentagon was conducted recently, and it was expected to fail, according to Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan:

"We failed the audit, but we never expected to pass it."

_{David B. Gleason/flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0}

About 1,200 auditors took part in examining the financial accounting for the Pentagon's spending on "weapons systems, military personnel and property." Shannon said the audit showed there was a need for more discipline in financial matters. Really? You think.

Shannon seems to be proud of the simple fact that an audit took place at all:

"It was an audit on a $2.7 trillion dollar organization, so the fact that we did the audit is substantial."

I don't see why he's so proud of an audit taking place. It took 28 years for the very first audit after a law was passed in 1990 mandating U.S. government agencies be audited.

He also said the Pentagon needs to improve inventory accuracy, but didn't disclose how much money is unaccounted for. No one seems to be to blame, and no consequences will be faced. Shannon said they are looking on fixing the issues though.

"We need to develop our plans to address the findings and actually put corrective actions in place."

Defense officials and experts on the Pentagon say it could be years before the Pentagon can fix it's leaky accounting.

Ron Paul commented about the audit, saying they spent billions to find out what happened to the missing trillions in unaccounted spending, with 10% of Pentagon agencies passing. But not to worry, they are the government so they don't have to fear the IRS like any equivalent company having such a poor record.

Instead of consequences such as calling for reduced funding in light of misspending and fiscal incompetence, taxpayers will just be subsidizing more of this bullshit and can expect more of it. They will ask for more money to try to fix a system that "loses" trillions each year.

Outgoing chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mac Thornberry doesn't want funding to stop, saying the failed audit "should not be used as an excuse for arbitrary cuts that reverse the progress we have begun on rebuilding our strength and readiness". And the necons agree, as be Bill Kristol’s son-in-law Matthew Continetti writing at the Free Beacon says now is "the wrong time to cut defense."

Yet, the mismanaged lost money is likely not being spent on actual defense purposes, but on pilling up the pockets and lifestyles of those connected to the military-industrial complex. Part of the money is even spent funding the neocon publications like the Free Beacon and other think tanks that support war and fear-mongering of threats like China and Russia. Tax payers are funding war-machine cheerleaders.

The mindset to fuel a global military empire will promote ever-increasing spending and funding for the war-machine. There is never enough to control the whole world.

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References:

• Pentagon fails its first-ever audit, official says
• Pentagon Fails First Audit, Neocons Demand More Spending!