Rape & Pillage Inc.
Apr 30th, 2006 at 10:01 pm by Susie
All that money stolen, and those poor people still don’t have electricity, health care or a safe environment:
A US congressional inspection team set up to monitor reconstruction in Iraq today publishes a scathing report of failures by contractors, mainly from the US, to carry out projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
In one case, the inspection team found that three years after the invasion only six of 150 health centres proposed for Iraq had been completed by a US contractor, in spite of 75% of the $186m (£100m) allocated having been spent.
The report says: “Fourteen more will be completed by the contractor, and the remaining facilities, which are partially constructed, will have to be completed by other means.” The inspectors blame the failure in this instance on management problems and security concerns.
The danger facing foreigners in Iraq was highlighted yesterday when a roadside bomb 30 miles south of Baghdad killed three private security firm staff and wounded two others. One of the wounded is British, the Foreign Office said.
The detailed and lengthy report on work projects in Iraq has been drawn up by Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction (Sigir). Mr Bowen’s office was set up after Congress expressed concern about the slow rate of reconstruction and the misuse of funds on a massive scale.
The report says Mr Bowen’s inspection team is investigating 72 cases of alleged fraud and corruption, and is pursuing leads not only in the US but in Europe and the Middle East.
All no-bid contracts too.
Is it possible that we went to war in Iraq to generate pork for GOP contributors?
I’d say it’s likely.