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Rebuilding in Iraq shows successes, frustrations
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The Register Gaurd - [9/19/2005]
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The United States has poured more than $200 million into reconstruction projects in this city, part of the $10 billion it has spent to rebuild Iraq. Najaf is cited widely by the military as one of the success stories in that effort, but U.S. officers involved in the rebuilding say that reconstruction projects here, as elsewhere in the country, are hobbled by poor planning, corrupt contractors and a lack of continuity among the rotating coalition officers charged with overseeing the spending.
``This country is filled with projects that were never completed or were completed and have never been used,'' said a frustrated civil affairs officer who asked not to be identified.
Najaf would seem to be one of Iraq's most promising places to rebuild. As a Shiite holy place, it has few Sunnis and, as a result, none of the insurgent attacks and sabotage that plague other parts of the country.
Just a year after fighting between U.S. forces and Shiite militias left much of the city in smoking ruins, a new police force is patrolling the streets and security in the city has been handed over to Iraqis.
There are some successes.
The Army Corps of Engineers has finished refurbishing several police and fire stations. It is spending tens of thousands of dollars to refurbish crumbling schools and has replaced aging clay water pipes in the suburb of Kufa with more durable plastic ones. It is even spending half a million dollars to renovate the city's soccer stadium, putting in new lights and laying fresh sod.
But in interviews, U.S. military officers and Iraqi officials involved in the reconstruction described failures and frustrations that Army officers who have worked in other parts of Iraq say are routine.
Residents complain that the many of the city's needs remain unfulfilled and the Army concedes that many projects it has financed are far behind schedule.
Officers with the U.S. military say corruption and poor oversight largely are to blame.
``We were told to stimulate the economy any way we can, and a lot of money was wasted in the process,'' said Capt. Kelly Mims, part of the Army liaison team in Najaf. ``Now we're focused on spending the money more wisely.''
U.S. officers say there is almost no oversight after a contractor is given the job.
Army engineers must scrutinize tenders because contractors sometimes leave out major pieces of equipment to lower their bids, he said.
Once the contract is awarded and the omission is discovered, the Army is forced to pay more to complete the project.
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