Since the 2003 invasion of the country by US and UK forces the infrastructure has deteriorated to such a degree that it is estimated the country will need up to 1 TRILLION more (2013) to 'rebuild it's crumbling infrastructure and battered economy', said by the head of the National Investment Commission in Iraq. Doesn't the question come to mind as to what these non-bidding reconstruction companies like Haliburton, Kellogg, Brown and Root and Blackwater and others have been doing there for 10 years? These companies got a 1.5 billion dollar deal to rebuild the country. All paid for by US taxpayers. Remember the original concept? The rebuild would come from Iraq oil sales.
In a March, 2013 final report to Congress, Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen's conclusion was all too clear: Since the invasion a decade ago this month, the U.S. has spent too much money in Iraq for too few results. And the Huffington Post reports that in nine years of war in Iraq, 4,448 Americans died and 32,221 were wounded in battle, leaving behind a deeply divided country steeped in corruption.
But in some cases, can we suspect there are handshakes all around and the feeling that they all made money. Why doesn't someone admit that was the plan all along?
The Iraqi people are no better now than 10 years ago and the American people are also a little poorer.
Read just a few news reports from the last 10 years to see how it unfolds, but not as it should -
The careful plans - 2003
USA Today Rebuilding Iraq
Proceding as planned - 2004
CNN Iraq rebuild
Get rid of evidence - 2005
The Guardian Iraq
Rebuilding overhead costs - 2006
NYTimes reconstruct
Where is the money going? - 2007
Nation Public Radio report
Infrastructure failures - 2008
Global Policy Forum reconstruction
Model education system? - 2009
Radio Free Europe Iraq Struggles
Watchdog Agency -wasted billions - 2010
Fox News wasted billions
60 billion achieves little - 2011
BBC news - world
Reconstruction efforts cost 719 lives - 2012
Bloomberg News-audit
Who will they target in the future? |
Where are you going, children? Out to play, Mom. Okay. |
If you don't read any of the other links, a least read this one - from CBC News 2013 - The final report -
CBS News.com $60b to rebuild iraq wasted
Should children be scavenging for tidbits for survival?
Is this an endless scenario? Anyone with sanity would think no,
but the world has gone crazy, hasn't it?