Airport Security Fails to Catch Bomb Components

Staff / Truthdig Nov 15, 2007 While the rest of us have been struggling to survive air travel without our precious liquids and gels, federal investigators managed to sneak liquid explosives and detonators through airport security, according to a Government Accountability Office report issued Wednesday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Why Is This Man Smiling?

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Sep 5, 2007 It's enough to make one a libertarian, Robert Scheer argues, as the federal budget is hijacked by a bloated military-industrial complex wallowing in post-9/11 greed. As the president smiles, the failures of this American experiment in imperialism become all the more costly and apparent. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

GAO Report: Only 3 out of 18 Iraq Goals Met

Staff / Truthdig Aug 30, 2007 The Washington Post has obtained a draft of the Government Accountability Office's "progress" report -- quite the euphemism in this case -- about Iraq. The 69-page draft, which the paper describes as "strikingly negative," was apparently passed along by a government official worried that the final draft would be altered to lessen its detrimental impact. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Arming the Enemy

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Aug 22, 2007 Tens of thousands of U.S. weapons have disappeared in Iraq. For years they are likely to be killing people across the globe, including Americans in Iraq and elsewhere. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The Case of the Missing Weapons

Staff / Truthdig Aug 7, 2007 How exactly do some 190,000 pistols and AK-47 rifles go missing? That's the mystery the Pentagon is facing, according to the Government Accountability Office, which estimates that the U.S. military can't account for 30 percent of the arms given to Iraqi security forces to help "spread democracy" since 2004. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Money for Nothing

Staff / Truthdig Mar 16, 2007 The news that the Treasury will once again sheepishly release a small batch of dollar coins raises the question: Why are Americans so hung up on paper money when countries like Britain and Canada have enjoyed the benefits of coinage for years? Don't scoff -- the Government Accountability Office estimates potential savings at $500 to $747.5 million annually. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

GAO: U.S. Vulnerable to WMD Attack

Staff / Truthdig Feb 28, 2007 Despite spending billions of dollars, the United States is woefully unprepared for an attack involving either chemical or biological weapons, according to a report recently declassified by the Government Accountability Office. The strain of the Iraq war has contributed to problems with staffing, equipping and training the military units expected to respond in the event of such a crisis. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

The High Price of Democracy in Cuba

Staff / Truthdig Nov 16, 2006 The Government Accountability Office has found that USAID funds meant to promote democracy in Cuba were improperly used to purchase luxury items including leather coats, crab meat and Godiva chocolates. A representative of one of the Cuban-American groups charged with distributing the funds defended the purchases: "These people are going hungry. They never get any chocolate there." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )