Iraqis Teach Corruption to American Contractors

The results of the post-war reconstruction of Iraq, a nation devastated by the American war machine, are laughable.

Those running the country – the U.S. invaders and Iraqi rulers – cannot be taken seriously in their bid to rebuild what they have destroyed, no matter how hard its proponents try to sell it.

The destruction from U.S. military operations and attacks and by forces resisting America’s presence in the country is massive. So massive, in fact, that reconstruction cannot be considered anything other than a far-fetched dream.

Where to begin? It takes longer to rebuild than destroy, and there is no end in sight to U.S. military operations, swelling the list of our destroyed cities, towns and villages.

Reconstruction is more than the allocation of billions of dollars. In fact, there has apparently been no lack of money for rebuilding this war-ravaged country.

The problem, rather, is whether those handling the money are honest and transparent. Reports of fraud, embezzlement and theft by those entrusted with Iraqi reconstruction far exceed the number of reconstruction projects they have carried out.

Iraqis are well aware that most of the post-war reconstruction money has vanished, and that they can no longer trust even the Americans, who have proved complete failures in terms of not only rebuilding, but securing and administering the country.

It seems that American contractors and administrators have caught the disease of corruption from the Iraqi officials who arrived with the invasion. Now they also openly ask for a share of any money earmarked for reconstruction. And over recent days, there have been demands that any reconstruction in Iraq should henceforth be carried out in partnership with the United Nations.

But Iraqis have a right to know who the U.N. will have as a partner inside the country. The crocodiles holding the strings of the Iraqi purse have ever sharper teeth and wider influence. And even if the aid money has flowed up to now, it may not be for long. After so many reports of large-scale corruption, international donors are losing the willingness to give more.

And even if the money is available and the U.N. willing to get involved, who would administer reconstruction in a nation on the brink of a bloody sectarian war.