The Daily MuckA study released by the RAND Corporation reports that 300,000 U.S. troops deal with depression or post traumatic stress disorder and 320,000 suffered brain injuries stemming from their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study surveyed 1,965 members from all branches of the armed forces, active and non-active. The economic cost of the cases is estimated between $4 billion and $6 billion over two years. (Washington Post)
Los Angeles prosecutors under his jurisdiction claim U.S. Attorney Thomas O’Brien has forced them to take on unwarranted criminal cases in order to boost prosecution statistics that help garner federal funding. If they fail to reach their quotas, the prosecutors claim they run the risk of discipline or professional ramifications. O’Brien say the “performance goals” are to increase results in an office once known for lagging productivity. (Los Angeles Times)
The British High Court is considering reopening the case against Prince Bandar, the head of Saudi Arabia’s National Security Council, former Saudi ambassador in Washington and close ally of President Bush, for allegedly accepting bribes from British Aerospace Systems (BAE). The investigation was halted by the British government in 2006 when, allegedly, Bandar threatened to end Saudi cooperation with British terrorism intelligence if the investigation persisted. (Newsweek)
In a November 2005 meeting to select a contractor for a multimillion-dollar project, Air Force Maj. Gen. Stephen Goldfein said to the selection board, “I don’t pick the winner, but if I did, I’d pick SMS (Strategic Message Solutions).” Though the SMS bid was twice that of a competitor, the $50 million contract was steered their way to reward a retired general involved with the company. (Washington Post)
A six-month investigation by a House Armed Services subcommittee found that funding for Provincial Reconstruction Teams, the Bush administration’s program for local companies to help reconstruct Iraq and Afghanistan, is disorganized in structure and unclear in its goals. The subcommittee suggests the State and Defense Dept. create a “unity of command” for the programs and allow congressional oversight of the process. (Washington Post)
The New York Times takes a closer look at former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson and the investigation into whether he lavished close friends and confidants with lucrative contracts. (New York Times)