US officials on Iraq civil war; US may be asked to leave this year
Iraq-USA, Politics, 8/3/2006

Despite some progress, violence and corruption continue to thwart reconstruction efforts in Iraq, says Stuart Bowen, the US special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

"Reversing the deteriorating security situation," is the chief challenge facing efforts to rebuild Iraq, Bowen told the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs during yesterday's hearing.

Repeated violence and "incessant danger" continue to impede reconstruction efforts, Bowen reported. The "lethal environment" slows progress on projects, restricts movement of personnel and diverts dwindling resources from reconstruction, he said. It also has "greatly complicated the important work of the provincial reconstruction teams to build capacity in the provincial governments," he added.

Corruption continues to be "a serious threat" to Iraq's fledgling democracy and costs an estimated $4 billion a year, Bowen said.

Iraq's Commission for Public Integrity has more than 1,400 criminal cases involving about $5 billion, he reported.

"A poll conducted this quarter," he added, "found that one-third of Iraqis reported that they have paid bribes for products or services this year, and that they mistrust police and the army."

Bowen said that his office -- known as SIGUR, for Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction – has 82 open investigations into alleged fraud, corruption, bribery, kickbacks and gratuities. Currently, 25 cases are awaiting prosecution at the Department of Justice; two of those cases have ended with convictions, and another has resulted in a guilty plea, he said.

SIGUR recently entered into a partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Investigations Division to enhance investigative operations in Iraq and the United States, Bowen said in prepared testimony for the Senate panel.

SIGUR, Bowen said, has seen "some positive signs" in the Iraqi prime minister's recent commitment to battle corruption and in a World Bank-sponsored anti-corruption workshop for Iraqis and international donors. But he cautioned: "More resources and stronger support will be needed for Iraq's nascent anti-corruption entities to battle corruption effectively."

The production of electricity, oil and gas finally has climbed above pre-war levels for the first time in more than a year, Bowen said. But he stressed the need for capacity building.

"The fall of Saddam's regime ended four decades of a state-controlled economy, this has left inexperienced local officials to manage the delivery of provincial government services and created the need for programs to develop their capacities," Bowen said.

The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) program is helping local officials to develop "a sustained capacity" to govern and promote security, rule of law, political participation and economic development, Bowen said. But it, too, is hindered by security threats, insufficient staffing and limited resources, he said. SIGUR has announced an audit of the PRT program, he added.

Today, NPR reported US top commander in the region, General John Abizaid telling congress "Sectarian violence is as bas as I've seen it" and that Iraq could descend into a civil war, and Secretary Of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stressed the importance of the political process to a solution to the Iraqi situation

White House Spokesman Tony Snow said today "I think he specifically avoided "civil war." I think he said he was worried about sectarian violence, and also reiterated something we've talked about on a number of occasions, which is the importance of security Baghdad -- which is why, pursuant to General Casey's recommendations, you're going to see a little more of a troop presence in Baghdad, to try to suppress some of those. Obviously, sectarian violence is a concern."

Asked "I think he did say that he thought civil war was a possibility."

Snow said "Okay. Well, I don't think the President is going to quibble with his generals on their characterizations. I think the more important thing that General Abizaid -- at least based on what I saw -- was saying that, again, it's very important that we go ahead and go in and secure Baghdad as one of the key things, because that is where people are tying to create broader sectarian strife with pretty large and visible acts of violence."

The Los Angeles Times report today that Iraq's President Jalal Talabani "predicted Wednesday that Iraqi forces would take over security duties in all provinces by year's end, even as thousands of U.S. troops began a campaign to bring order to the capital."

Top Iraqi officials have strongly condemned Israel's attack on Lebanon, and some have seen that these Israeli aggressions has cost the US considerably and may precipitate the withdrawal of the US from the region. Rumsfeld today noted that this development is the goal of some.

Previous Stories:
  Iraq dire conditions require lots of improvement   (6/13/2006)
  Grim picture of Iraq's condition   (5/6/2006)

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