# In which L. Paul Bremer III makes me laugh **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502 "2005-01-31T01:10:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/1 "2005-01-31T01:10:41Z")
> [@USAToday](#): > > Bremer complained the report “assumes that Western-style budgeting and accounting procedures could be immediately and fully implemented in the midst of a war.” This [new article](http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-01-30-iraq-funds_x.htm) in USAToday describes some misplacement of funds in the administration of the CPA. Imagine what kind of Python-esque humor could be had with that quote. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/2 "2005-01-31T02:00:01Z")
Regarding nine billion taxpayer dollars lost without a trace? That _is_ pretty funny! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/3 "2005-01-31T02:17:34Z")
Compared to the **millions** in the Oil for Food… its only 9 **billions** … but I guess its going to pass by without much notice by US voters. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/4 "2005-01-31T03:37:34Z")
Well, you know what they say: A billion here, a billion there… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/5 "2005-01-31T03:47:29Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Well, you know what they say: A billion here, a billion there… I think they _did_ use western style accounting practices, like those of Enron and Tyco. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/6 "2005-01-31T04:35:02Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Well, you know what they say: A billion here, a billion there… pretty soon you’re talking… what, … oh ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/7 "2005-01-31T04:38:30Z")
What did they care? It’s not like it was their money. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/8 "2005-01-31T04:58:18Z")
I’ll bet you could build a hell of a WMD program with 9 billion. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/9 "2005-01-31T05:30:26Z")
Before the war, there were 17 cement plants in Iraq. None of them were damaged by bombing. Where does the rebuilding effort get its cement? Outside contractors. The obvious way to help Iraq is to give the Iraqis jobs in the rebuilding. Instead we pay American truck drivers $80,000 a year plus life insurance. Why? Because it flows through Kellogg, Brown, and Root (a subsidiary of Halliburton.) Capitalism is a wonderful thing, but there’s something fishy here. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-l-paul-bremer-iii-makes-me-laugh/287502/10 "2005-01-31T20:40:41Z")
And yet, the “liberal” news media would rather spend 20 minutes covering Michael Jackson’s arrival at the courtroom today than this piece o’ news.