Jeff,

The key words in this little story are “at least” 855 contracts. Fact is the GAO doesn’t know how many more than the 855 projects they’ve “verified” haven’t been completed.

Whether the project was fully completed or not you can bet the contractor was fully paid as if it was.

You didn’t mention if you got paid for the ten wells you contracted for or just the eight you completed.

I would like to see examples of these so-called 47,000 projects. Please do not blame the press for lack of coverage. If in fact there were that many projects, I as a taxpayer would like to see them. Apparently, the BuSh administration does not have any confidence in displaying these so-called completed projects for the public to see and, therefore, establish some iota of confidence in this American made disaster. Don’t get so lost in what has not been built. Let’s see what HAS been built and I would bet that the completed ones are substandard and nothing worth what has been spent. LMAO at our stupid president and all those who believed and still believe in his disaster in Iraq. We, as a nation, have yet to pay for this shameful act against humanity. The chickens will come home to roost on this one. LMAO!!!!

So where is all our money going?  I’m sure they’d rather use the money to build more bombs with so they can accidentally bomb more civilians and send them to the hospital that was 35% complete.  Meanwhile we keep borrowing money from Communist countries.

Because 855 out 47,321 construction project didn’t get completed as planned?  What’s the crime?

When I was in Afghanistan, I was in charge of a project to build 10 wells at a refuge camp.  We only completed eight or them due to previously unknown ground-water conditions.  Should I be packing my bags for a trip to the Hague?

I am not saying that there is no corruption going on in Iraq.  I am saying that a descoping or incompletion rate of 1.6% doesn’t even come close to indicating corruption.  If the author wants to show corruption, then use examples that actually indicate it.  This is just an author trying to spin some numbers in order to get people worked up.

This is just a dumb article.  Truthdig trying to dig where nothing exists, and the haters jumping on the bandwagon.  Consider the numbers: 47,321 total project; 855 terminated or descoped (112 for contractor underperformance); that leaves 743 for “unforeseen factors such as violence and excessive costs”.  That means that there is a 98.4% completion rate on these projects.  That’s a pretty good rate anywhere, but in a place like Iraq, that is downright amazing.

DennisD:  “Most if not all of these “projects” were never meant to be completed”.  Huh?  They didn’t complete 1.6% of the projects.  I don’t know where you learned math, but I’m pretty sure that 1.6% does not constitute “most if not all”.

Most if not all of these “projects” were never meant to be completed. They were and are an excuse to bleed the U.S. taxpayers dry.

Of course the only thing the contractors have to worry about is finding the right offshore bank to stash their loot in to avoid any taxes.

Where is the MSM with this story. Oh yeh, they’re chasing Rev. Wright around covering his speeches and any other insignificant story they can find.

America - best government money can buy.