More Halliburton "Paytriotism"

It turns out the $16 billion dollar "overage" in the food bill is actually $27 billion dollars--and it might be even more.

Pentagon auditors are evaluating costs at 53 other dining facilities in Iraq and Kuwait also serviced by KBR.

All of the contracting companies doing work in Iraq with the U.S. undergo Pentagon audits.

KBR is the largest of those companies with some $8 billion in contracts.

Here's Halliburton's defense:

A separate statement from Halliburton said: "This is not about overcharging. This is about finding a good way to estimate the number of meals so soldiers can get fed.

"It's difficult to determine how many people will be at the dinner table in the middle of a war zone and the number must be based on estimates."

Of course, of course. Just like "estimates" of WMD. 25,000 tons of anthrax, give or take, uh, 25,000 tons...