Thursday, January 27, 2011
The U.S. government so far has spent $13.4 million to build a special academy in Iraq for security officials without bothering to secure an agreement with the Baghdad government that the Iraqis are prepared to fund it once it’s completed.
Not surprisingly, Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, has recommended a halt to more funding for the Iraqi International Academy, which is expected to cost $26 million to build.
The campus is supposed to include three classroom buildings, an administrative office building, a dining facility, and housing for almost 200 people, as well as a student center featuring a large auditorium, coffee shop, library and research center.
In his report, Bowen expressed concerns that the academy project would turn out like the $35.5 million economic zone effort at Baghdad International Airport, where $16 million was spent on 24 projects that either were not maintained or used by the Iraqis.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
U.S. Inspector General Calls for Halt in Funding $26 Million Iraqi Academy (by Walter Pincus, Washington Post)
Letter for Commander, U.S. Central Command Commanding General, United States Forces-Iraq (Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction) (pdf)
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