US misspent billions on fruitless Iraq 'reconstruction'

Well, since 2005 we can now account for about $60 billion dollars that ended up being wasted in Iraq. Yes, you remember that war.. the one that ended up costing 4.4k American lives, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths.

Well, a new report came out detailing how much money was wasted, and how little of it actual improved Iraq. The claims made say Iraq is no better now than it was before, but I think we all kind of figured as much.

In spending $60 billion to rebuild Iraq, the US has wasted more than $9 billion in taxpayer funds, only to find that Iraq is just as wrecked and unstable as before.

Bowen interviewed numerous American and Iraqi officials, many of whom criticized the US for taking on too many large projects without consulting Iraqis. When American troops withdrew, many of these projects were largely abandoned and Iraq continues to look as broken as before.

Additionally, Americans “wore out [their] welcome” by planning to “do it all and do it our way” – all while wasting taxpayer dollars, Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns told the inspector general.

So some people wonder why the Iraqis were angry at us, perhaps it was because billions of dollars was lost to corruption and a lot of projects were never completed.

The US has spent more than $60 billion in reconstruction grants, which comes out to about $15 million for each day of the conflict. A $2.4 billion fund set up by Congress to rebuild Iraq’s water and electricity systems and to provide food, healthcare and governance was largely wasted. President George W. Bush asked for $20 billion more just a few months after the March 2003 invasion to accomplish these goals.

Abandoned projects include a 3,6000-bed prison that cost $40 million but was never finished or used and a $108 million wastewater treatment center that still remains unfinished. The US also spent millions repairing infrastructure they blew up, including a $75 million pipeline and a $29 million bridge in north-central Iraq. Contractors were also found to have overcharged the US government for supplies, with one contractor charging the Pentagon $900 for a $7 control switch.

So they have left almost a half a billion dollars worth a projects unfinished, some of these crucial elements to help sustain the Iraqi population, but the money has disappeared. I'm starting to think somebody made a pretty good profit off the taxpayers, and federal grants.

The failures in Iraq have raised concern over the future of Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal of US troops. The US government has spent $90 billion on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan over the course of 12 years, which US officials are afraid could go to waste if oversight isn’t coordinated better.

So that begs the question, how much will we have invested total on all these wars? How many jobs could've been created at home, how many new technologies could've been perfected? Why hasn't our education system been refined? Obama cries about sequester of a measly 85 billion, but we've amassed trillions in war, while the government still refuses to cut wasteful spending, and they continue to fund rebels in other countries. I think people really should take note, and start holding those responsible for this mess accountable, and that means people MUST be vocal about the government waste.

The police state is encroaching quickly, war rhetoric is ramping up, and your wallet is getting thinner. It's your move patriot.

rt.com...

Woah, woah, woah! Are you saying that paying to bomb a building and then paying to rebuild said building, is bad economics? Are you saying that creating a free for all slush fund for 'reconstructing' Iraqi infrastructure was a bad idea?

Next you'll tell me printing money to pay for debts incurred is a bad idea too...

What is this world coming to?

Oh: Did any of your sources mention whether Halliburton and KBR are doing OK? I worry about them so. And, after all, that's the important thing; never mind about the Iraqis or the American taxpayers....

reply to post by Ex_CT2

Oh: Did any of your sources mention whether Halliburton and KBR are doing OK? I worry about them so. And, after all, that's the important thing; never mind about the Iraqis or the American taxpayers....

BINGO!!!!! You hit the nail on the head my friend!


Follow the money.......

I don't and never understand why the US pays contries to help rebuild, I have been over to that part of the contrie, its a sand box, and for being the Holly Land it looks like the dump down the road.

I was in Saudi, Iraq and Kuwait, example of how the people live, the goverment of Saudi spent Millions of dollars on apartment complexes to bring in the so called Nomads (desert people) and to help them adjust to society, guess what they were all empty when I went there.

These contries have enough money to rebuild, so why are we helping......to help companies from the US get a free pay day, pass go and collect 2 Million dollars.

CUT THEM ALL OF WE ARE BROKE AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN FIRST.

To all the posters here, what do you think would be the best methods we could use to root out all of the money wasting rats? War is a for profit campaign, how do we put an end to it all?

Why aren't people listening, why don't people care? I'm tired of economic struggle, aren't others?

reply to post by eXia7

To all the posters here, what do you think would be the best methods we could use to root out all of the money wasting rats? War is a for profit campaign, how do we put an end to it all?

Why aren't people listening, why don't people care? I'm tired of economic struggle, aren't others?

Agreed!

My simplistic and IMO realistic answer, is term limits on politicians and felony convictions for any lobbyist organization OR politican who scratch each others backs.?

I would imagine that KBR is quite pleased with the results.

There will be a Suni Shia civil war within the next 5-10 years.

I hope that the US stays out of it.

Originally posted by seeker1963
reply to post by eXia7

 

To all the posters here, what do you think would be the best methods we could use to root out all of the money wasting rats? War is a for profit campaign, how do we put an end to it all?

Why aren't people listening, why don't people care? I'm tired of economic struggle, aren't others?

Agreed!

My simplistic and IMO realistic answer, is term limits on politicians and felony convictions for any lobbyist organization OR politican who scratch each others backs.?

I agree with you on term limits, right now there are tons of politicians that have made this a career, and have befriended a lot of people in high places. And all current politicians engaging in fraud and corruption should be convicted to life in prison, no parole.

But we can't do it unless the true good politicians keep fighting. I think people need to look into all the records of politicians that have lied, and put us in this mess, and put the fire to their #, let them know we're going to get them out one way or another.