Comments on: Study: Iraqis Failing On Reconstruction

Audit Finds Iraq Has Accepted No U.S.-Built Projects In Last Year

[j-whitman]

donbl1,,,, The mistake was not having an effective & honorable leader,, instead we have the "Decider"..
.. NOW BUSH HAS FAILED OUR COUNTRY

[donbl1]

Actually, I always thought it interesting that
Franks retired just after the war. Franks wanted more from the beginning.

His replacements either did not know what to do or were not strong enough to push through their ideas. General Casey had direct access to Bush as did General Ajerbijain (sp?). As the CINC's report to the President not DOD. Rummy probably had his own ideas but the Generals had access. Petreus reports to the President.

Bremer? Probably discounted his military ideas as he did not have the background indicating knowledge. Correct in hindsight? Probably, but just as easily could have been wrong. He has never made a big stink about it.

The mistake was not having an acceptable leader ready at the beginning and keeping the Iraqi army intact.

[coffeehead-2009]

This gets worse day by day week by week and the Iraqis will not step up to the plate and run their own country.


CROCK of propaganda.

In the few weeks before Bremer left Iraq, the CPA handed out more than $3 billion in new contracts to be paid for with Iraqi funds and managed by the US embassy in Baghdad. The CPA inspector general, now called the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, has just released an audit report on the way the embassy has dealt with that responsibility. The auditors reviewed the files of 225 contracts totalling $327 million to see if the embassy %u2018could identify the current value of paid and unpaid contract obligations%u2019. It couldn%u2019t. The auditors also reviewed the paperwork for a further 300 contracts worth $332.9 million. %u2018For 198 of 300 contracts, documentation was not available . . . to indicate that contract execution was monitored for performance and payment . . . Files did not contain evidence that goods and services had been received for 154 contracts, that invoices had been submitted for 169 contracts, or that payments had been made for 144 contracts.%u2019

Clearly the Americans see no need to account for spending the Iraqis%u2019 national income now any more than they did when Bremer was in charge.


http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=8241

[hungry1968]

It was clear in the planning stages of this war what would be needed & it was ignored.
Posted by j-whitman at 07:33 PM : Jul 28, 2007


Exactly. The first person to lead the reconstruction efforts was General Jay Garner. He held the job for two months before being replaced by Paul Bremmer. He was fired because he said that the original occupying force of American troops would have to be 350,000 - 400,000 troops. He was viewed by the administration, (particularly Rumsfeld), as an out of touch kook - so he was replaced. So much for listening to the generals on the ground, huh?

[ramos937]

It would make no difference if Iraq was to accept the projects. If they did, within one week, they would be gutted, looted, have graffi, used as latrines and useless. Just think, we have spent over $500 million building the new US Embassy there. When we withdraw, either in 2008 or 2/2009, every American that stays will be taking his/her life into their own hands. It will be too dangerous for an American in Iraq. This monstracity will be be gutted, looted, have graffi, used as latrines and useless to anybody. I just do not know why Congress approves spending on the Embassy?

[donbl1]

samthtvcat

I personally think the war has gone very badly through poor military general leadership. They should have done better. The generals had the best military in the world and squandered it. They should have been fired long ago instead of receiving Bush's loyalty. One of Bush's weaknesses is excessive loyalty to those who do not deserve it. In the military, only winning matters. (yes I served America)

Where are we now? Critical point. There might be some improvement. It is tough to discern but it might be there. In war, only time tells the truth and the big wars are always long and bloody.

Is calm in the Middle East important? Absolutely. If we do not do it this time, we will be doing it later and probably with nuclear weapons (Iran).

So, what do we do now? Pick up the pieces and fix it. Petreus seems to have a plan and he seems to be flexible as he has already made some significant adjustments during the past two months.

So, I think the war has gone badly and it did not have to.

[radiob-2009]

U.S. officials have, however, formally handed 1,576 projects worth $2.6 billion to local officials despite concerns they may not be able to properly finish and run the projects.

Where U.S.-funded projects are built and handed over to the Iraqis, they "are not being adequately maintained," according to the April audit by the inspector general's office.


Can anyone say oops where went the money? This gets worse day by day week by week and the Iraqis will not step up to the plate and run their own country. To busy taking two mth. vacations. Enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[j-whitman]

drivelphobe,,, Few of Iraq's senior police or military is qualified to do thier job, many still don't show up. Training has failed as reconstruction has.

Millions of Arab 14 year old children in all Muslem countries are working odd jobs for the bus fare to fight the occupiers in Iraq.

[seven-pesos]

the whole world is laughing at america...

little does the world know that america has a dark side to it...

it's known as the republican, christian south...

formerly known as confederate rebels.

the south never changed...

they just became reborns and repubicans.

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, rednecks, reborns...

nothing good comes out of the south.

[j-whitman]

drivelphobe,,, It was clear in the planning stages of this war what would be needed & it was ignored ---- It will still take another 300,000 American troops & Billions in equipment they still dont' have to do the damm job. ---
--- BUSH FAILED OUR NATION & OUR TROOPS

[drivelphobe]

It should be clear to Bush and our leaders, that now more than ever, is the time to apply force like the middle-east has never seen. Our enemy is making a mockery of us. It's time to bring out the heavy equipment. It's time to let the military do their thing. No more holding back and endangering the lives of our troops.

[j-whitman]

donbl1,,,, This isn't a battle over Good & Evil,, it isn't a battle for Freedoms,, & it really isn't a battle to stop Terrorism ---- It's for control of the region & recourses --- Bush excellerated Terrorism.

[seven-pesos]

southerners tend to be unrealistic in war and politics...

southerners always factor gawd into the equation.

and of course gawd never comes through!

superstitious, emotional, slightly schizoid...

that's the average southerner for you, folks!

[seven-pesos]

do y'all love that failure in iraq...

well, let's elect another southerner and get the same all over again.

the south loses another war...

jefferson davis and lyndon johnson would be proud.

ha,ha,ha.

bush, davis, johnson...

all slave state losers.

war, hate, reborns, rednecks...

that's the bush loving south for you, folks!

[samthetvcat]

"Have faith in America and pull the wagon. Good has a better chance of winning than evil in Iraq."
Posted by donbl1 at 07:04 PM : Jul 28, 2007

What's your take on the Iraqi political situation there donbl1? Enough with the feel-good bumper sticker slogans . . . let's hear your assessment of the real life dynamic in Iraq. Because the IRAQI motives are the sole determinant of 'success' in Iraq, not your 'faith' (See Iraq Study Group: "U.S. forces can help provide stability for a time to enable Iraqi leaders to negotiate political solutions, but they cannot stop the violence%u2014or even contain it%u2014if there is no underlying political agreement among Iraqis about the future of their country; If the Iraqi government does not make substantial progress toward the achievement of milestones on national reconciliation, security, and governance, the United States should reduce its political, military, or economic support for the Iraqi government)

[j-whitman]

donbl1,,,, Guiliani didn't do squat to bring down crime in NYC except inforce measures put in place before he got into office.

[feelfree1]

donbl1,

The fraud-based war against Iraq is a series of war crimes, wrapped within an illegal war of aggression. It is a catastrophic disaster for the people of the U.S. and for the people of Iraq, and a crippling defeat on the economic, military, and moral fronts.

If you think otherwise, then your head is planted beyond any possibility of dislogdement. It is a catastrophe and a humiliating disgrace, without qualification.

###

How's it going in Iraq?

"Let me clear it up for any moron with lingering doubts: It%u2019s worse. It%u2019s over. You lost. You lost the day your tanks rolled into Baghdad to the cheers of your imported, American-trained monkeys. You lost every single family whose home your soldiers violated. You lost every sane, red-blooded Iraqi when the Abu Ghraib pictures came out and verified your atrocities behind prison walls as well as the ones we see in our streets. You lost when you brought murderers, looters, gangsters and militia heads to power and hailed them as Iraq%u2019s first democratic government. You lost when a gruesome execution was dubbed your biggest accomplishment. You lost the respect and reputation you once had. You lost more than 3000 troops. That is what you lost America. I hope the oil, at least, made it worthwhile."

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

[donbl1]

feelfree1

Do not extrapolate singular events to all levels and common. Hopefully, you are not a reader of TNR and believe that stuff.

Have there been cases of unsatisfactory performance? Sure, but they are the minority serving there and not the majority.

Have faith in America and pull the wagon. Good has a better chance of winning than evil in Iraq.

[seven-pesos]

southerners hope to elect another faith professing, conservative republican.

the south hopes to win the all time loser's award.

jefferson davis lost his war...
johnson lost his war...
bush will lose his war...

if the south can lose just one more war,

they will beat the french for most wars lost, ever!

ha,ha,ha.

those idiot southern republican christian creeps ought to stay in church.

they're not suited for fighting america's wars.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[feelfree1]

donbl1,

How is it going in Iraq?

"BAQUBA - Ongoing U.S. military operations in Diyala province have brought normal life to an end and fueled support for the national resistance."

"Conflicting reports are on offer on the number of houses destroyed and numbers of civilians killed, but everyone agrees that the destruction is vast and the casualties numerous."

"Shakir said many of his relatives and neighbors were killed by the military while attempting to leave the area. "I cannot tell you how many people were killed, but bodies of civilians were left in the streets."

"We all know now that the U.S. military is using the name of al-Qaeda to cover attacks against our national resistance fighters and civilians who wish immediate or scheduled withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq," Hilmi Saed, an Iraqi journalist from Baghdad, told IPS on the outskirts of Baquba."

www.antiwar.com/ips/fadhily.php?articleid=11266