U.S. Criticized on Iraq Rebuilding

Iraqi and international officials contend that Washington's effort is not moving fast enough. More loans are pledged for reconstruction.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-money19jul19,0,4136089,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines
"More than $6 billion in U.S. funds and billions more in Iraqi money have been spent so far, but the country's electricity supply is far from meeting demand; oil production is below prewar levels; and barely half of Iraqis report having access to safe, stable supplies of drinking water.Unemployment is estimated at between 25% and 50%; fuel and food subsidies have resulted in a significant budget deficit; U.S. and Iraqi audits have been unable to account for billions in spending (haha, spending. Interesting choice of words. - Vox); and at least three U.S. officials and scores of Iraqis, including two former government ministers, are facing corruption charges."

Some thoughts: When this lack of reconstruction in Iraq becomes a hot-button issue, the American people will be asked (forced) to pony up billions of more dollars, on top of the tens of billions of dollars that we've already been asked (forced) to contribute toward reconstruction. Now, we already now that billions of dollars have gone "missing", but where is the rest of our money going? TWO WORDS: WAR PROFITEERS. These corporations are making out like fat-cats at the expense of the lives of our brothers and sisters, because what does the reconstruction feet-dragging do?
It feeds the hatred.
It feeds the insurgency.
It feeds the insecurity.
It feeds our failure in Iraq.

(Also see my posts on April 6, 2005 ("Hasn't the reconstruction started yet?"), and March 31, 2005 ("On Iraq Reconstruction"))

- Vox