Iraq insurgency now financially self’sustaining-NYT

NEW YORK, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The Iraq insurgency has become financially self’sustaining, raising tens of millions of dollars a year from oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting, corrupt charities and other crimes, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions.

According to a classified United States government report, a copy of which was obtained by the newspaper, groups responsible for many of the insurgent and terrorist attacks are raising an estimated $70 million to $200 million a year from illegal activities.

Some $25 million to $100 million of the total comes from oil smuggling and other criminal activity involving the state-owned oil industry aided by “corrupt and complicit” Iraqi officials, the Times said, citing the report.

As much as $36 million a year comes from ransoms paid over hundreds of kidnappings. Unnamed foreign governments — identified in the past by senior U.S. officials as including France and Italy — paid kidnappers $30 million in ransom last year alone, the report said.

The Times also quoted the report as saying: “If recent revenue and expense estimates are correct terrorist and insurgent groups in Iraq may have surplus funds with which to support other terrorist organizations outside of Iraq.”

The report, completed in June, was provided to the newspaper by U.S. officials in Iraq who told the Times they had done so in hopes that the findings could improve U.S. understanding of the challenges faced in Iraq.

According to the Times, the report holds out little hope that much can be done any time soon to stem the flow of funds to insurgents, acknowledging how little U.S. authorities in Iraq know about crucial aspects of insurgent operations.

And it paints a bleak picture of the Iraqi government’s ability, or willingness, to take the necessary measures to contain the insurgency’s financing, the Times said.

Full article here

This war should have never been allowed to start without U.N. approval and help… and needs to end NOW! People over there are dying every day, with NO POSSIBILITY of a victory. Bush speaks of some future victory if we ’stay the course’. Does anyone know what that means?