Reconstruction Spending: We Should Be Worried

There are a lot of reasons for concern about the billions of dollars we’re spending in Iraq reconstruction. Yesterday we heard from Ambassador Bremer and Special Inspector General Bowen about the fact that 8 to 20 billion dollars cash were sent to Iraq and there’s not a clear accounting for where that money went…it’s disturbing to me. Today we’re looking at the issue of contractors who subcontract and their subcontractors who subcontract again, and whether the subcontractor who actually does the work is providing what’s required under the contract, and also whether there’s any padding of the bill by one subcontractor putting in his overhead and another subcontractor and the general contractor adding their charges as well.