August 6,
2008: Iraq is hiring the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers to supervise a $1.6 billion construction effort that will build
bases (housing, storage, training and maintenance facilities) for the Iraqi
armed forces. The Corps of Engineers has
long experience in running large scale military and civilian construction
projects, and supervised the construction of U.S. bases and logistical
facilities in Iraq and Kuwait. But the Iraqis also want the Corps of Engineers
to oversee this project because the American officials can be expected to
minimize the extent of corruption. If an Iraqi firm were put in charge, a lot
more of the money would disappear, rather than be turned into military facilities.
In the last few years, little of the Iraqi oil income has gone to
infrastructure work, partly because of corruption fears, and a lack of
qualified Iraqis to handle such projects. Even Saddam imported foreign
construction managers for large scale projects.
