Iraq Reconstruction "Less Than Optimal"

Report Finds Poor Oversight, Bad Planning, Lack Of Coordination, Mistakes, Delays

(AP)  The U.S. government must learn from its multi-million-dollar mistakes of poor contract oversight and bad planning in its Iraq reconstruction effort or risk repeating them there and elsewhere, investigators say.

The audit released Thursday by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is the first to list in one place the series of mistakes, delays and missed opportunities in a four-year-old Iraq war and reconstruction effort that has cost taxpayers nearly $400 billion.

Characterizing the U.S. effort as chaotic and poorly managed, Bowen found the Bush administration's rebuilding effort riddled with problems — from a lack of strategy and unclear lines of authority to confusion and disarray between the Defense and State Departments.

Bowen said the two departments must learn how to work more closely together. If their cultures prove too resistant to change, Congress should consider legislation to force better cooperation between them in running future U.S. military and civilian reconstruction efforts.

"Although no single U.S. agency demonstrated the capacity to manage the large and complex Iraq program alone, the resultant and unavoidably ad hoc response that sometimes ensued was less than optimal," according to the audit, which urges strengthening joint staff between the two departments.

Among the findings:

• A Defense Department agency charged with running the reconstruction effort never developed a fully coordinated plan upon members' arrival in 2003, leading to confusion and duplication of effort. "We were bumping into one another as we tried to solve the same problem," a former agency official is quoted as saying.
  
  
• Money flowed to reconstruction projects before procedures, training and staffing were fully in place, resulting in a "lack of clearly defined authorities" and little accountability in terms of how dollars were being spent.
  
  
• Only three contracting officers were initially sent to Baghdad to oversee spending of reconstruction dollars. As a result, some contract files were in disarray or missing while others were stored on personal e-mail accounts and individual hard drives.
  
  
• There was little oversight to ensure that Iraqi companies hired to do reconstruction work operated according to international standards. In a case involving the Baghdad Police Academy, the Iraqi subcontractor used cement joints to seal wastewater pipes, a practice used by Iraqi construction firms.
  
  But the cement joints leaked, causing major interior damage to the police facilities. The failure also raised concerns about health hazards as wastewater leaked through floors, ran down halls and filled ceiling lights. Because of the substantial repairs required, some of the planned construction for the $73 million project was canceled.

Bowen's office released the 157-page audit in advance of his appearance Thursday before a Senate committee hearing on the U.S. way forward in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The report does not take a position on whether greater U.S. involvement in the region is needed. But it makes clear that the U.S. government must clearly rethink its approach to future efforts, whether in Iraq and Afghanistan or elsewhere.

Earlier this year, federal investigators determined that the Bush administration had squandered as much as $10 billion in reconstruction aid in part because of poor planning and contract oversight, resulting in contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses.

[terrapin78]

Like I am surprised by this report. We have seen for the last 6 years how bad a government can be run. Bushies screw up everything they touch.

Republicans say government is the problem and when elected they prove it.

[bluestardad]

NO S H I T BUCKWHEAT!

[inventagod]

Failure
No Plan
Corruption
Disarray
No Accountability
$10 Billion Lost
Missed Opprotunities
Delays
Mistakes

That's the report on how the invasion is going, still waiting for the rebuilding report...

[grazinggoat]

CBS: 'Earlier this year, federal investigators determined that the Bush administration had SQUANDERED as much as $10 billion in reconstruction aid in part because of poor planning and contract oversight, resulting in contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses.'

- Great way of management, republicons...

[us_infidel]

Honesty is always the best policy. On the surface, it would appear that this administration has much to answer for in this regard. It's good that this information has come out.

I'm not a big conspiracy theorist, but I would like to see an accounting of where all the money went.

When he says, "less than optimal", I suspect he's being kind and it's probably worse than we think.

[duhrer]

If we continue to "stay the course" then the repugnantcons will get the "slow bleed" they keep complaining is the dem strategy. Aint it the truth that each time the repubprickcons start to commit an immoral or unethical act, they first blame the other side of the aisle for conspiring to commit the act.

[drinuk]

You just could'nt invent this stuff, you go steal a dollar from a store, they will throw you behind bars but these crooks steal, steal and steal again, from us the people. We need serious change, governments of all colours are getting worse worldwide. We should be able to fire them at any time and not just after four years of cockups.

[tomar0317]

I agree with nothing here seems surprising. Our leaders are so inept that they think all is good! As long as we the tax payers continue working our butts off to pay for these incompetent people and agent's plans they'll continue doing it. Since our government has chosen not to listen to us, maybe we as constituents should withhold our taxes until these morons get a clue. Maybe not a good idea though....we're the ones that continue to put these jerks in office!

[gkc99]

Our leaders, the real leaders that is, not the pathetic figureheads like George W. Bushit, are not incompetent. They use incompetence as an excuse for theft. The billions of dollars that have "gone missing" or are "unaccounted for" have simply been stolen, the majority likely by U.S. citizens; i.e., not Iraqis. A lot of people are getting real rich off this war, and they make big campaign contributions to the corrupt kingdom of neocondom who have presided over one of the biggest bank heists in history.

[zootallures2]

The major world media companies are flapping in the wind. Everyone knows 9/11 was a false flag operation and that you are all completely insane. Your whole outfit can be summed up with Monty Python's - Mr. Hilter. Crank that Victrola a little harder for your fake audience...lol.

[shingles1]

The media always reports the bad news about corruption, but never the good news about it. Dang liberal bias.

[terrapin78]

Wait till they allow Social Security to be invested in the stock market, Then it will make even the financial debacle in Iraq look like small potatoes.

[terrapin78]

The media always reports the bad news about corruption, but never the good news about it.

Posted by shingles1 at 12:57 PM : Mar 22, 2007

What kind of good news is there about corruption? That both sides do it? That's not good news in my book!

[rharrin1]

400 billion and NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. Now that is master thievery at work.Good job republicans well done.

[inventagod]

"I'm not a big conspiracy theorist, but I would like to see an accounting of where all the money went.
When he says, "less than optimal", I suspect he's being kind and it's probably worse than we think.
Posted by US_Infidel at 10:53 AM : Mar 22, 2007"

I am a big conspiracy theorist, and still believe Cheney was running those five concurrent war games on 9/11 to cover the true intent of some within our government to ultimately invade Iraq for oil, and to destabilize the middle east for profit.
I still believe those PNAC traitors pulled off their 'New Pearl Harbor' after years of planning, and the demolition of WTC7 is the red flag...
Funny, it seems that mainstream America is beginning to wonder too, after the proliferation of YouTube video information on the subject.
I hope I am wrong...

[j-whitman]

Republican's come back from Iraq & say "It's as under control as Detriot" ---- I say send them right back & put a gun in thier hands ---= THE FULLL GOP SPIN IS ON --- IRAQ IS A DISASTER

[j-whitman]

"Reconstruction Less Than Optimal" -- That should make it in the Guiness Book of World Records on unerstatements

[radiob-2009]

lars008 Are you having a bad day? You have have been notably absent from these boards lately. Yellow snow? Like Zoot Allures?

[j-whitman]

Radio,, Lars is a good example of what religons do.

[j-whitman]

Zoot Allures -- I'm going to get that album.

[shingles1]

Terrapin78, my comment was a joke.

Poor lars008, I do believe he ate the yellow snow.
Either that or he's "resting" after overindulging on paste, gas huffing, and cheetos.

[lars008-2009]

what jihad j has in store for non muslims........

Police protect girls forced to convert to Islam

Extremist Muslims who force vulnerable teenage girls to convert to Islam are being targeted by police, Met chief Sir Ian Blair has revealed.

Police are working with universities to clamp down on "aggressive conversions" during which girls are beaten up and forced to abandon university courses.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=437871&in_page_id=1770

[j-whitman]

Lars,,,, Don't you force your children into religon ??? What are you Evangilist or Southern Baptist ??

[radiob-2009]

Radio,, Lars is a good example of what religons do.
Posted by j-whitman

You mean perversion of religion, it is almost like the Muslim extremist.

[zoroastor]

The reconstruction isn't going well?

THIS is news to anyone?

No kidding. I'm shocked. Aghast. Dumbfounded. Speechless (some of you are hoping). Agogg.

And the commander-in-thief is now saying the war in Iraq is still winnable. What does victory look like over there? How do we know when we've won? What's the benchmark?

"we have to stop the terrorists." Well, in order to do that, we have to make them stop hating us. Should we roll over and die? No. But occupying Iraq and shooting some of them, while making convenient targets of our bravest and best isn't a good tactic either.

My head hurts reading this thread.

[j-whitman]

Radio,,, "You mean perversion of religion, it is almost like the Muslim extremist" --- Big Time,, they are our own radical extremists we need to confront them every Sunday in front of thier churches & fight them just as hard..
. I've got no problem with the moderates.. But I have to get in the face of the radicals.... God did not write the Bible,,, Nor is Jesus a God

[j-whitman]

Radio,,,, I don't think radical Muslim's say thier Profits are Gods, do they ??

[lars008-2009]

jihad j.... is this your new prophet.... he's a lot like muhammad.... hahahahahaha

See how easy it is for another robber, raper, murderer, pedophile, jesus wannabe like muhammad to get followers???

'Black Jesus' accused of rape and murder
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/19/wjesus119.xml
Cannibal 'Black Jesus' Faces Death Penalty
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259845,00.html

[zoroastor]

j-whitman,
The belief that Jesus is God, or that God inspired directly the writing of the Bible isn't the problem.
I'm Christian and believe those things.
The problem is that some Christians believe there is a mandate to force their belief on everyone else. It pretty much destroys the fundamental ideas of free choice, seperation of church and state, and even faith.
I've actually witnessed an all-out argument over whether Jonah was swallowed by a whale or a fish. I thought it would come to blows. Both of them were missing the point.
Radical Christians are every bit as bad as radical muslims. Abortion clinic shootings, bombings, the KKK, Waco, TX. The list is much longer. However, none of those radicals reading this are having an epiphany. Instead they are angry that I would dare to call myself a Christian.

[j-whitman]

Lars,,,, "robber, raper, murderer, pedophile" -- You talking about the ones in our own Christian churches ??? Hell man,, even some of you more widely known church leaders are on Meth. & can't keep thier pants on.

[lars008-2009]

Lars,,,, "robber, raper, murderer, pedophile" -- You talking about the ones in our own Christian churches ??? Hell man,, even some of you more widely known church leaders are on Meth. & can't keep thier pants on.
Posted by j-whitman at 03:24 PM : Mar 22, 2007

we are talking about your so called prophet haji..... not the followers......

[j-whitman]

Zoroastor,,
, Yes, you're a moderate & a good person,,, We can agree to dissagre on the Jesus being God thing without exploding in hate.. And respect each others views. --
- These other radical Christians prescribe to the concept of "I was a sinner, but now I'm saved.. So bless me & give me the riches, or I'll send you to hell"

[shingles1]

I guess the name "lars007" was taken.

[j-whitman]

Lars,,, I've told you a hundred times,, I'm not the least bit religous.... And I was rasied Southern Baptist... Old German Protestant

[lars008-2009]

dogs can sense when people have an evil spirit...

Muhammad made strange and harsh statements about dogs and these edicts affect dogs in a tragic way. His teachings may have come from cultural bias, Pagan concepts, or his own imagination, but wherever they came from they led to the cruel treatment of dogs.

None of the statements regarding dogs are found in the Quran but they abound in the various collections of traditions (hadith). These traditions are a primary foundation of Islamic theology and are the basis of many Islamic laws. They render dogs as "impure" and worse. Per Muhammad%u02BCs orders most dogs were to be killed and all dogs of a specific color (black) had to be killed.

Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God and as such his word was to be obeyed. With the teeth of Islam biting worldwide it is vital that Muhammad%u02BCs teachings be scrutinized to determine if he were a nut or a prophet.

http://www.answering-islam.de/Main/Silas/dogs.htm

[j-whitman]

Lars,,, Stay on topic, please... You can see how disruptive & arrogent religons can be,, even your own.

"Reconstruction Less Than Optimal" -- That should make it in the Guiness Book of World Records on unerstatements

[grazinggoat]

You want to see how a lars looks like, well follow the link...

http://profielen.****.nl/show.php?nick=lars008

Doesn't like much islam, but still he goes to church or to... what do you believe in larsy69?

[lars008-2009]

Lars,,, I've told you a hundred times,, I'm not the least bit religous.... And I was rasied Southern Baptist... Old German Protestant
Posted by j-whitman at 03:37 PM : Mar 22, 2007

i knew you were a fascist nazi islamic muslim collaborator.......

[radiob-2009]

Posted by Zoroastor Could not agree more.

[inventagod]

The topic is Iraq non-reconstruction, and somehow the posts focus on 'black jesus' and 'dogs in the Quran'...
wow
snore

No wonder the Republicons get away with murder and treasury robbing - the electorate is brain-dead

[dallison7]

dogs can sense when people have an evil spirit...
Posted by lars008




YOU'RE CRAZY!!

[lars008-2009]

grazinggoat ..... still practicing beastiality i see............

Imam Khomeini - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
http://www.homa.org/Details.asp?ContentID=2137352826&TOCID=2083225445
http://www.homa.org/default.asp?TOCID=2083225445
http://profiles.yahoo.com/arabgoatsspeakout
Man forced to marry goat in southern Sudan
http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4748292.stm
CBC head quits after defecation, bestiality remarks
Guy Fournier created an uproar in Canada's Lebanese community and in the media when he claimed that Lebanon allowed men to have sexual relations with female animals, but reserved the death penalty for those who did so with male animals.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-09-20T122515Z_01_N19422715_RTRUKOC_0_US-CBC1.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

[j-whitman]

grazinggoat --- ROTFLOL ---- I checked that out --- The guy's a total freak, typical right wing repulican - Gay as hell

[radiob-2009]

Lars is that photo really you? To much yellow snow, what will you do after the big bust?

[bluestardad]

Where is the 363 tons of Money, the siphoned off Oil Revenues, the 10 billion U.S.Tax Dollars a month going?
I just watched these blow hard Republicans on CSPAN talking about supporting the troops while voting on the New Iraq War Supplemental Budget. Their actions pale compared to their blatant ineptitude, with the Health Care of Our Wounded Veterans, President Bush not catching Bin Laden behind some back room deal with Saudi Arabia, Bush Funding of Al Qaeda in Lebanon destabilizing it for Israel, and their total disregard toward our Military being stretched too thin to the point of being dysfunctional.

If you follow the money trail you will find that most of those elected officials who support the war in Iraq are under the influence of AIPAC.

http://www.aipac.org/forms/join_aipacClubs.htm



Now here is the real kicker! President Bush is funding Al Qaeda in Lebanon with funds from Iraq! This is Impeachment and Treason! Here is the proof Read it!
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/070305fa_fact_hersh


If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

The House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[e-mail] Here is the Republican Party email address too!

[e-mail] Here is the Democratic Party email address also!

[grazinggoat]

grazinggoat ..... still practicing beastiality i see............
Posted by lars008

-I was watching it... recently my husband doing U. Stupid a$$hole and sickminded.

[radiob-2009]

Missing funds here is a link about them

Former Iraq minister denies theft of millions http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1497038.ece

[crater7]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!
BUSH ADMINISTRATION RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS:
Chaotic and poorly managed, lack of strategy, unclear lines of authority, confusion and disarray between defense and dtate departments, costing TAX PAYERS nearly 400 billion dollors. SOUNDS LIKE HIS IRAQ WAR STRATEGY:
If Bush was a CEO of a large corp, he would have been fired and sent to jail along with his buddy Ken.I dont know what it is going to take, but, this Administration needs to be held accountable. There has to be justice somehow.

[lars008-2009]

You may be an Islamophobe if.
(1) You refer to the midwinter holiday as 'Christmas'
(2) You save loose change in a p***y-bank
(3) You allow your children to read unexpurgated versions of Winnie the Poo
(4) You doubt whether it's politically correct to stone rape victims
(5) You believe that the earth is round
(6) You think there's something weird about a 50 year old man marrying a six year old girl
(7) Your children have Barbie dolls or Teddy Bears
(8) You object to being a second class citizen in your own country
(9) You fail to celebrate cultural diversity when your daughter is gang-raped for not wearing a headscarf
(10) You think government policy should be determined by your elected representatives rather than a howling mob
(11) You object to your taxes being used to support people who are plotting to kill you
(12) You aren't convinced that 'Jihad' means 'Inner Spiritual Struggle'
(13) You don't understand why the Jews must be exterminated
(14) You allow your children to play with LEGO
(15) You aren't married to at least one of your cousins
(16) You sometimes have doubts about BBC reporting
(17) You occasionally wonder what's inside those walking tents
(18) You realise that taqiyya is not a Mexican beverage
(19) You believe moderate Muslims ride unicorns

[lars008-2009]

(20) You don't appreciate the multicultural need for Methodist grandmothers to be body-cavity searched before boarding aircraft
(21) You claim to understand the words "Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them", even though you don't speak Arabic
(22) You object to taxpayers' money being spent for terrorists to hold a festival to commemorate the anniversary of their massacres
(23) You have reservations about %u2018faith schools%u2019 where the kids will be taught that you and your family are najis (excrement), at public expense
(24) You don't understand why flying your country's flag has become a hate-crime
(25) You don't appreciate why it is so insensitive and offensive for the police to prevent oppressed minorities venting their frustration by mass murder.
EVALUATING YOUR SCORE
How many of the questions did you answer 'YES' ?
On a scale of 0 to 25
0 you are a Dhimmi
1 to 5 you are a Najis Kaffir
6 to 10 you are an Islamophobe
11 to 15 you are a Thought Criminal
16 to 20 you are an Enemy of Allah
21 to 25 you are a Zionist Crusader offspring of pigs and monkeys.