Audit Faults U.S. Infrastructure Efforts In Iraq

Water, santitation, and electrical services in Iraq have been severely compromised since the U.S. invasion in 2003 (file photo) (AFP) 27 January 2006 -- A government auditor in Washington says U.S.-funded programs to rebuild electric power and water systems in Iraq have fallen far short of original plans.

The report by the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction says failure to complete the projects was due in part to a dramatic shift in spending on Iraqi security.

The study says that as a result, only 49 of 136 water and sanitation projects will be completed.

It says changes in strategy over how to spend some $18 billion allocated for Iraq reconstruction resulted in more than $5 billion being shifted to other uses.

(Reuters, AFP)