What is expected to be the final report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) has come out, taking a final look at a scheme that started a decade ago and spent $60 billion. The verdict: failure.
The new report reflects on the program, and the failures both large and small that have left so many major public works projects in ruins, conceding that “fraud and mismanagement” fueled the now-legendary disaster.
US programs sought to do big things, bankrolling projects seemingly at random, with little care toward whether they were needed, wanted, or sustainable. So determined were officials to spend big that even modest proposals, like a principal’s request for $10,000 to upgrade his school, were met with several times that amounts of cash being thrown at scheme through official channels and not even a fraction of the work ever being done.
Officials tried to dismiss the failure, however, insisting that many of the programs fell apart because the Iraqi government refused to give US occupation forces the sort of enduring legal immunity that would’ve kept them there long-term, and forced planners to scrap a lot of plans that weren’t going to be finished in time.
That's the reconstruction that was supposed to pay for itself from Iraqi oil, isn't it? Now the same bunch of dimwitted neocons who pushed that idea want us to go to war with Iran. Wonderful!
Wasn't the 58 1/2 billion of the money stolen by some and rest was wasted by the others…, that's why…! Look.., Paul Wolfowitz said: the countries that are invaded by us they can pay for rebuilding using their oil income…, what he meant was: that is if they sale it to USA oil companies.., for us oil companies to dictate and govern the country.., like in Afghanistan.., which in reality that is why USA and EU invaded Iraq…., knowing that Bush family having a business relation with that kuwaiti king…, at the same time…, according to James Baker who is a well known international attorney Iraqi oil is one of the largest reserve in the world. So there is enough to go around with that 60billion.
Peter van Buren said it and he was outed. What will happen to the Inspector General?
There was never any intention to successfully "reconstruct" Iraqi infrastructure. The plan from the beginning was to destabilize and cripple Iraq – which was a fairly modern and secular-based operation. Yeah, Saddam was a dictator – so are the rulers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, etc., etc., etc. It was about the destabilization of the region and …the oil. The plan was to destabilize the region (success), secure access to the oil (partial success) and drain as much money out of the US Treasury and into their pockets as they could (success). And no one (important) went to jail.
But Israel had an implacable enemy vanquished. That was the real mission, which is why no one cared who was throwing money at whatever, good after bad.
Here in our city we hold a Peace Vigil at a busy intersection every Tuesday from 4 to 5 pm when the people are driving home from work. We are getting lots of thumbs up and honks from the people. Finally after 12 years of standing there the general population is catching on. Please work and pray for peace. The simpliest act – like standing vigil – can bear fruit. Make a sign and stand vigil.