It's not like that money was stolen though, it was spent without any kind of controls. The Pentagon disappears far more than $20 billion, the fact it was cash and the logistics in getting it to Iraq and out of the hands of the military is the only interesting part.

And it's not really that surprising imo. If you need to pay translators, contractors, bribe local officials or collaborators, assets, etc in a country that doesn't have a functioning banking system you need cash. And it's quicker to deliver some pallets with a C-130 and have guys dump it into duffel bags for whatever they need then to ask Congress nicely to set up bank transfers.