Shays Criticizes Reconstruction Progress in Iraq
By Mandy Kozar
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18-Progress in Iraq has been hampered by volatile security, naïve planning assumptions, disorganization and corruption, Republican Rep. Christopher Shays said Tuesday.
“Limited visible progress improving basic services frustrates Iraqis who wonder why a liberating coalition that conquered their nation in less than two months can’t keep the lights lit after two years,” said Shays, who returned last week from a visit to Iraq.
A panel of witnesses that included the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction and inspectors general from other agencies took intense questioning Tuesday from members of the Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, which Shays chairs . The members wanted to know why the Administration’s initial estimates of time and money were so far off.
In 2003, the Bush Administration asked for $20 billion for reconstruction in Iraq, saying it would be used to restore oil production to pre-war levels, increase electricity production and provide drinking water to 90 percent of Iraqis. To date, the administration has appropriated $30 billion, with another $13.6 billion coming from international donors.
“We are not there yet,” said Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, after Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California) asked if the administration had fulfilled its goals.
“Today’s Iraqi oil production and export levels are still well below pre-war levels,” Shays said.
Joseph A. Christoff of the Government Accountability Office, Congress’ investigative arm, testified that the initial estimates did not take into account the degree of insurgency facing the reconstruction efforts.
“The United States has confronted a capable and lethal insurgency that has taken many lives and made rebuilding Iraq a costly and challenging endeavor,” he said.
Christoff also said it was unclear when Iraqi security forces would be capable of operating without the aid of the U.S. military and how efforts were progressing to provide Iraqis with clean water and reliable electricity.
Although Iraq has 116 police and army combat battalions active in battling insurgents, only one of these battalions was assessed as functioning at “level one,” or fully capable of planning, executing and sustaining independent counter-insurgency operations.
Subcommittee members also asked about funds that have gone unaccounted for during the reconstruction. According to Christoff, $34 million in money and assets is missing.
Although there were rumors that the money was stolen, Bowen said this information was misreported. He blamed lack of a paper trail for the missing funds rather than corruption or fraudulent appropriation.
“There should have been better accountability,” Bowen said.
Representatives also criticized the oversight the Pentagon’s inspectors general, saying that the Department of Defense does not have a single auditor overseeing its projects in Iraq.
“The DOD IG is MIA,” said Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who berated acting Inspector General Thomas Gimble for what he called an abandonment of responsibility by the Department of Defense.
All the officials agreed that the eventual goal was to create a secure and sustainable system in Iraq.
To Bowen, this means that the military cannot just pull out of Iraq.
“What we hand over has to endure for democracy to endure there,” Bowen said.
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