As QuestionGirl posted in the previous two posts here and here, it seems thugs and hooligans of America’s underbelly get preferential treatment from the Bush administration (and from Congress). Well, now they’re doing it again:

Fraud Crackdown Comes With a Loophole

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Bush administration plan to crack down on contract fraud has a multibillion-dollar loophole: The proposal to force companies to report abuse of taxpayer money will not apply to work overseas, including projects to secure and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Critics including the watchdog group Taxpayers Against Fraud said the overseas exemption raises suspicions.

“I hate to sound cynical, but what lobbyist working for a contractor in Iraq wanted this get-out-of-jail card?” asked Patrick Burns, spokesman for the government watchdog group.

“I’m not saying that’s the way it went - I’m just suggesting that’s the most logical line to draw,” said Burns. “I think somebody’s got some explaining to do.”