Reuters: Iraq Rebuilding Lags, Security/Corruption Eat Precious Funds

Three years on, and the glorious, pay-for-itself cakewalk continues...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1458623&mesg_id=1458623

Iraq rebuilding lags, security eats precious funds
Tue May 10, 2005 5:45 PM ET
By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major reconstruction has not yet got off the ground in Iraq and security costs can eat up half the funding in some areas, the top official auditing $18.4 billion in U.S.-funded projects said on Tuesday.

U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen sees himself as a "taxpayer watchdog" entrusted to verify whether money appropriated by Congress to rebuild Iraq is spent wisely. Asked whether he thought rebuilding was properly under way and funds were being spent as Congress intended, the former White House lawyer said: "No," largely because so much money had been diverted to security, forcing projects to be scaled back.

There has also been evidence of corruption in some U.S.-funded deals. As of April 11, his office had received 131 potential criminal cases, and of these 62 have been closed, 35 referred to other agencies and 34 remain open.

"The big ones are yet to unfold ... We are talking tens of millions of dollars and not just thousands," he said in an interview with Reuters, declining to provide further details of ongoing investigations.


MORE AT LINK

They lack electricity to keep food properly stored and medicines properly stored.

Iraqis rebuilt their country after the 1991 war. Why not let them do it now?


Oh, *I* know! How else are the western military-industrial complex companies supposed to reap war profits?

resolved. I'm afraid that a very oppressive secret police force is being formed to murder anyone whom they even suspect.

But Iraq is awash in arms and explosives, it will not be easy
for anyone to impose their will on Iraq as it is today. Being
"secret police" is not such a great job when all the people you
propose to oppress have AK47s, RPGs and plenty of ammo. The only
reason the US has not had their ass kicked out yet is air support.

I posted this ealier, but pasted in the wrong link and the edit period has expired, so I'm reposting. More details on how corruption is affecting Iraq are found in the article, so I wanted to make it easier for everyone to get to the full text. Mods, please combine.

Three years on, and the glorious, pay-for-itself cakewalk continues...

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=reu...

Iraq rebuilding lags, security eats precious funds
Tue May 10, 2005 5:45 PM ET
By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major reconstruction has not yet got off the ground in Iraq and security costs can eat up half the funding in some areas, the top official auditing $18.4 billion in U.S.-funded projects said on Tuesday.

U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen sees himself as a "taxpayer watchdog" entrusted to verify whether money appropriated by Congress to rebuild Iraq is spent wisely. Asked whether he thought rebuilding was properly under way and funds were being spent as Congress intended, the former White House lawyer said: "No," largely because so much money had been diverted to security, forcing projects to be scaled back.

There has also been evidence of corruption in some U.S.-funded deals. As of April 11, his office had received 131 potential criminal cases, and of these 62 have been closed, 35 referred to other agencies and 34 remain open.

"The big ones are yet to unfold ... We are talking tens of millions of dollars and not just thousands," he said in an interview with Reuters, declining to provide further details of ongoing investigations.

MORE AT LINK

They were supposed to greet us with flowers!

Freedom is on the march, so is war profiteering, graff, death of civilians, pissing of the locals...feel free to add to the list.

WASHINGTON: Major reconstruction has not yet got off the ground in Iraq and security costs can eat up half the funding in some areas, the top official auditing $US18.4 ($NZ25.4) billion in US-funded projects said.

US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen sees himself as a "taxpayer watchdog" entrusted to verify whether money appropriated by Congress to rebuild Iraq is spent wisely.

Asked whether he thought rebuilding was properly under way and funds were being spent as Congress intended, the former White House lawyer said: "No," largely because so much money had been diverted to security, forcing projects to be scaled back.

There has also been evidence of corruption in some US-funded deals. As of April 11, his office had received 131 potential criminal cases, and of these 62 have been closed, 35 referred to other agencies and 34 remain open.

"The big ones are yet to unfold. . . We are talking tens of millions of dollars and not just thousands," he said in an interview with Reuters, declining to provide further details of ongoing investigations.

(more)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3276917a12,00.html