U.S. Wasted Billions Rebuilding Iraq

[samplegirl]

A $40 million prison sits in the desert north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million children’s hospital goes unused in the south. A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets.

…

More than $5 billion in American taxpayer funds has been wasted – more than 10 percent of the some $50 billion the U.S. has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a U.S. watchdog agency.

And that’s a conservative estimate based on 300 reports by auditors. Many projects were started and abandoned, often because Iraqis couldn’t or wouldn’t finish them. In some cases locals complained they never wanted some of the projects in the first place. In other instances violence got in the way of completing what was started. Just one example:

The U.S. military pinned great hopes on a $5.7 million convention center inside the tightly secured Baghdad International Airport compound, as part of a commercial hub aimed at attracting foreign investors. A few events were held at the sprawling complex, including a three-day energy conference that drew oil executives from as far away as Russia and Japan in 2008, which the U.S. military claimed generated $1 million in revenues.

But the contracts awarded for the halls did not include requirements to connect them to the main power supply. The convention center, still requiring significant work, was transferred to the Iraqi government “as is” on Jan. 20, according to an audit by the inspector general’s office.

Guess who pays for all this? And what about the $8.7 billion we can’t find in Iraq? While we fight about stimulating the U.S. economy and providing health care, where is the accountability here? And why aren’t the war hawks demanding answers?


http://www.alan.com/

[KharmaTrain]

1. Not If You're A Government Contractor...

Just like the claptrap about how much money is spent on foreign aid...very few of those dollars ever leave the US. The Iraq invasion along with Afghanistan have been a corporate welfare gold mine. Billions squandered on military equipment with sweetheart contractor deals that have made many in this country wealth...most who gladly donate to the GOOP but also spread money to key Democrats.

[lunatica]

2. I think the US wasted billions of $s and millions of lives going to war in Iraq

I remember Shock and Awe. I wonder how much tonnage of bombs were dropped in a month. So much so that Bush declared Mission Accomplished as if he had just won a video game. I'm sure that's how it felt to him. Pumped he was jabbing the air with his fist and claiming it felt 'so good'.

I remember Abu Graihb too. And all that depleted uranium, and the attack on Fallujah. But now we get all demanding that the Iraqi stop relying on us and build their own country back up. How dare they expect us to fix things!

[no_hypocrisy]

3. First sign of trouble: When pallet of money disappears in Iraq . . . . . ,

[Dappleganger]

4. Too bad they didn't waste that money on our soil...

we need it worse.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. And, meanwhile, our own infrastructure is crumbling...

I drove from Vermont to NY yesterday over three hours of bad and bumpy roads on what was supposed to be a main route. And then there are the bridges... x(