U.S. erred in Iraq rebuilding program: auditor

U.S. erred in Iraq rebuilding program: auditor

By Ross Colvin
Reuters
Thursday, August 31, 2006; 10:06 AM

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. government should have been quicker to employ local firms to help rebuild Iraq instead of relying on U.S. corporations whose contracts gave them no incentive to minimize costs, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

The top U.S. auditor for Iraqi reconstruction also said it was too early to say whether Iraqis would "get value for money" from the $22 billion Washington is investing on rebuilding postwar Iraq. The program has been beset by complaints of waste, fraud and corruption that his office is investigating.

Thirty percent of the projects inspected by his office had not met the required standard and some were outright failures.
(snip)

"More U.S. financial and personnel support needs to be given to the anti-corruption effort," said Bowen, whose office was created by the U.S. Congress in November 2003.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/31/AR2006083100664.html

to go to war in Iraq.

people realize that, among other things, our monetary system is toast.

but we spend more than that each month to occupy and kill in the same place.
Some investment, huh?