Investigators: Millions in Iraq contracts never finished

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:01:54 GMT

clipped by: BobbyDelray
clipper's remarks: Its time to call for the heads of those responsible. It appears firings and some jail time might help insure these practices are stopped.

As taxpayers shouldn't we be demanding accountability?

Clip Source: hosted.ap.org

Millions of dollars of lucrative Iraq reconstruction contracts were never finished because of excessive delays, poor performance or other factors, including failed projects that are being falsely described by the U.S. government as complete, federal investigators say.

uneven reconstruction effort that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion

U.S. Agency for International Development contracted with Bechtel Corp. in 2004 to construct a $50 million children's hospital in Basra, only to "essentially terminate" the project in 2006 because of monthslong delays

But rather than terminate the project, U.S. officials modified the contract to change the scope of the work

when in fact the hospital was only 35 percent complete

"The report paints a depressing picture of money being poured into failed Iraq reconstruction projects - contractors are killed, projects are blown up just before being completed, or the contractor just stops doing the work," she said.

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Investigators: Millions in Iraq contracts never finished