U.S. Weapons Given To Iraqi Forces Reported Missing

U.S. soldiers count weapons seized after clashes in Ba'qubah in May 2006 (epa) August 6, 2007 -- A new U.S. government report concludes that U.S. Defense officials cannot account for more than half of the small arms supplied to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005.

The Government Accountability Office said the Pentagon concurred with the report, which says 190,000 weapons and more than 135,000 items each of body armor and helmets are missing.

The report comes just over a month before a key review of U.S. military operations in Iraq is due to be given to the U.S. Congress.

(AFP, Reuters)