Scope of Iraq reconstruction scaling down, official says

[The Straight Story]

Scope of Iraq reconstruction scaling down, official says

By Shane Harris
[e-mail]

The U.S. government is shifting gears in the multibillion-dollar reconstruction effort in war-torn Iraq, siphoning money away from large-scale projects that could take years to complete to smaller, more manageable projects that can show results in shorter time.

The shift away from large infrastructure projects, such as building electric plants, to smaller work, such as repairing existing facilities, is prompted in part by dangerous working conditions in Iraq, and indicates the difficulty U.S. officials have had in managing projects of enormous scale, said Robin Raphel, the State Department's coordinator for Iraq reconstruction.

But while the smaller projects may yield a more visible demonstration of progress--which U.S. officials hope will engender public good will--the shifting of money reflects a significant rethinking of how Iraq will be rebuilt and repaired.

"I think less will be done by the big design-and-build contractors than initially thought," Raphel said in an interview, referring to the kinds of companies that won the first round of contracts to build key facilities, such as power and water treatment plants, sewers, roads and oil production facilities. Among those firms were engineering giants Bechtel Corp. and Halliburton Co.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0105/011805h1.htm

[MichiganVote]

1. Gotta put a good face the Bush legacy / travestry

[CoffeeCat]

2. FACADE building...

Based on another thread, it sounds like the US and Britain are preparing for a speedy withdrawal from Iraq.

This symbolic rebuilding, which only provides the facade of reconstruction--is just deplorable. We should fix everything we broke and repair every building we demolished. No question.

We all want the war to end. However, we cannot just abandon these people and leave their country in ruins.

Doing cosmetic repairs and smaller projects will not help the Iraqi people--total reconstruction will--and it's the least they deserve.

[soothsayer]

3. yes, but we should give the work to THEM, not to halliburton

but we ain't doing that

[struggle4progress]

4. Scaling down? It never really started

Here's an article from last summer -- but, really, nothing has changed.

U.S. Funds for Iraq Are Largely Unspent
By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, July 4, 2004; Page A01

BAGHDAD, July 3 -- The U.S. government has spent 2 percent of an $18.4 billion aid package that Congress approved in October last year after the Bush administration called for a quick infusion of cash into Iraq to finance reconstruction, according to figures released Friday by the White House.

The U.S.-led occupation authorities were much quicker to channel Iraq's own money, expending or earmarking nearly all of $20 billion in a special development fund fed by the country's oil sales, a congressional investigator said.

Only $366 million of the $18.4 billion U.S. aid package had been spent as of June 22, the White House budget office told Congress in a report that offers the first detailed accounting of the massive reconstruction package.

Thus far, according to the report, nothing from the package has been spent on construction, health care, sanitation and water projects. More money has been spent on administration than all projects related to education, human rights, democracy and governance. <snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26310-2004Jul3.html


In December and early January, Congress was falling all over itself to reallocate the unspent Iraq "reconstruction" money to tsunami relief.

It's a gigantic rip-off of Iraqi oil money for giant corporations, with the shills playin a friggin shell game in front for the benefit of the rubes ...

[bonddad]

5. Totally botched

The US had a great opportunity to use patronage to maximum benefit with the money approved for rebuilding. They could have dolled out millions of dollars to Iraqi business for rebuilding, creating employment and job opportunities.

Instead, the money went to non-Iraqi companies.

What a complete waste.