Iraq Says It Found 50,000 'ghost Soldiers' On Payroll

[Coss]

Iraq Says It Found 50,000 'Ghost Soldiers' on Payroll

 

BAGHDAD — Iraq's new government has discovered 50,000 "ghost soldiers" who received army salaries without showing up for work, a practice which accelerated the military's collapse in the face of ISIS fighters six months ago. The names were uncovered in an investigation launched by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, who took office in September, his spokesman Rafid Jaburi said. "Ghost soldiers" were men on the army payroll who paid their officers a portion of their salaries and in return did not show up for duty, enriching their commanders and hollowing out the military force.

 

"Those 50,000 soldiers were revealed after an intense search through military documents and there will be a field search in order to put an end to this phenomenon and any other form of corruption," Jaburi said. Local officials in Mosul said the city should have been defended from an ISIS attack in June by 25,000 soldiers and police, but in reality the number was at best 10,000. ISIS militants took over the city with barely a fight.

 

Since taking over as premier from Nuri al-Maliki, Abadi has sacked dozens of military officials appointed during Maliki's eight-year rule and pledged to root out corruption. On Monday Abadi's office announced he had retired 24 senior Interior Ministry officials and replaced them with new officers under a reform plan to make the security forces "more effective in confronting terrorism."

[Flashermac]

Sounds like the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK):

 

<< The military situation changed dramatically following the coup d'état in March 1970. In the Khmer Republic regime, FARK was renamed Khmer National Armed Forces (Forces armées nationales khmères; FANK). When the Cambodian Civil War followed, and in response to a declared state of emergency, the FANK's size was expanded to reach 200,000 military personnel organized into brigades and divisions. The armed forces of all categories were placed under command and control of the President.

 

In reality only a portion of the army was combat ready. Corruption among its commanders resulted in thousands of ghost soldiers in order to pocket the non-existant soldiers' salary. When facing NVA, Viet Cong or Khmer Rouge forces, FANK never had full strength as reported.

 

FANK regiments and battalions were often wiped out by NVA, Vietcong, Khmer Rouge forces; only American air powers allowed Lon Nol's armed forces to survive. Sometimes, corrupt FANK commanders even sold army surplus weapons to the Khmer Rouge forces they were fighting. Often many FANK commanders were not at the front lines when launching an operation against the Khmer Rouge. The American Congress finally lost all confidence by late 1973 and finally cut off all military aide. Many Cambodians lost their lives as results of the corruption that allowed the Khmer Rouge to take over in April 1975. >>

 

 

http://en.wikipedia....an_Armed_Forces

[Guest]

There are millions of people in the world that will turn a blind eye to something when money is involved

[pasathai1]

no one shocked here, its the way the corrupt iraqi Kwakie system works