by D. Cupples (photo from U.S. DoD) | One of the "benchmarks" for assessing U.S. progress in stabilizing Iraq was Iraq's ability to
spend its $10.1 billion capital-projects budget in 2007. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Bush Administration's report on Iraqi spending severely conflicted with Iraqi officials' reports.
In September 2007, Bush Administration officials reported that the Iraq's central government ministries had spent 24% of its capital-projects budget by July 15, 2007. The Iraqi government's official report show that the central ministries had spent only 4.4%. (See GAO full report or summary)
Note that, in September 2007, the Bush Administration was trying to make a case that the president's "surge strategy" had worked and that continued occupation of Iraq was not futile. Perhaps that explains why Administration reports showed that Iraq had spend five times more of its capital budget than the Iraqis seem to think they had.
Incidentally, the GAO doesn't blame the Bush Administration for the spending failures last year -- pointing out that the Iraqi government faces great challenges, such as a slow process for approving spending projects requiring outside contractors, the mass exodus of skilled labor from Iraq, and construction delays brought on by sectarian violence.
Other BN-Politics Posts:
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* Congressmen Try to Block Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia
* Navy Now Suspects Prankster (Not Iranians) Threatened Ships
* Iran: is the Administration Telling the Truth or Saving Face?
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