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By PAUL KRUGMAN

Bechtel, the giant engineering company, is leaving Iraq. Its mission — to rebuild power, water and sewage plants — wasn’t accomplished: Baghdad received less than six hours a day of electricity last month, and much of Iraq’s population lives with untreated sewage and without clean water. But Bechtel, having received $2.3 billion of taxpayers’ money and having lost the lives of 52 employees, has come to the end of its last government contract.

As Bechtel goes, so goes the whole reconstruction effort. Whatever our leaders may say about their determination to stay the course complete the mission, when it comes to rebuilding Iraq they’ve already cut and run. The $21 billion allocated for reconstruction over the last three years has been spent, much of it on security rather than its intended purpose, and there’s no more money in the pipeline.

The failure of reconstruction in Iraq raises three questions. First, how much did that failure contribute to the overall failure of the war? Second, how was it that America, the great can-do nation, in this case couldn’t and didn’t? Finally, if we’ve given up on rebuilding Iraq, what are our troops dying for?

There’s no definitive way to answer the first question. You can make a good case that the invasion of Iraq was doomed no matter what, because we never had enough military manpower to provide security. But the lack of electricity and clean water did a lot to dissipate any initial good will the Iraqis may have felt toward the occupation. And Iraqis are well aware that the billions squandered by American contractors included a lot of Iraqi oil revenue as well as U.S. taxpayers’ dollars.

Consider the symbolism of Iraq’s new police academy, which Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, has called “the most essential civil security project in the country.” It was built at a cost of $75 million by Parsons Corporation, which received a total of about $1 billion for Iraq reconstruction projects. But the academy was so badly
built that feces and urine leak from the ceilings in the student barracks.

Think about it. We want the Iraqis to stand up so we can stand down. But if they do stand up, we’ll dump excrement on their heads.

As for how this could have happened, that’s easy: major contractors believed, correctly, that their political connections insulated them from accountability. Halliburton and other companies with huge Iraq contracts were basically in the same position as Donald Rumsfeld: they were so closely identified with President Bush and, especially, Vice President Cheney that firing or even disciplining them would have been seen as an admission of personal failure on the part of top elected officials.

As a result, the administration and its allies in Congress fought accountability all the way. Administration officials have made repeated backdoor efforts to close the office of Mr. Bowen, whose job is to oversee the use of reconstruction money. Just this past May, with the failed reconstruction already winding down, the White House arranged for the last $1.5 billion of reconstruction money to be placed outside Mr. Bowen’s jurisdiction. And now, finally, Congress has passed a bill whose provisions include the complete elimination of his agency next October.

The bottom line is that those charged with rebuilding Iraq had no incentive to do the job right, so they didn’t.

You can see, by the way, why a Democratic takeover of the House, if it happens next week, would be such a pivotal event: suddenly, committee chairmen with subpoena power would be in a position to investigate where
all the Iraq money went.

But that’s all in the past. What about the future?

Back in June, after a photo-op trip to Iraq, Mr. Bush said something I
agree with. “You can measure progress in megawatts of electricity delivered,” he declared. “You can measure progress in terms of oil sold on the market on behalf of the Iraqi people.” But what those measures actually show is the absence of progress. By any material measure, Iraqis are worse off than
they were under Saddam.

And we’re not planning to do anything about it: the U.S.-led reconstruction effort in Iraq is basically over. I don’t know whether the administration is afraid to ask U.S. voters for more money, or simply considers the situation
hopeless. Either way, the United States has accepted defeat on reconstruction.

Yet Americans are still fighting and dying in Iraq. For what?

This week, we asked our volunteers why they signed up to turn out voters through Call for Change. We were especially struck by Ginmar's story and asked her to share it with you. Ginmar (who asked us not to use her real name) is a reservist in the Army, but she's writing now only as a private citizen. If her message moves you, too, please sign up to call voters at:

http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/fp.html?id=9434-7018597-AXhPBGcfPUUv8B7qZw2mdw&t=2

Dear fellow MoveOn member,

I believed the lie. As an Army reservist, I went to Iraq to protect America from weapons of mass destruction. But when I got there, I soon discovered there were no WMDs and no plan for us to succeed. I endured 12 months of combat and barely made it out alive.

We can't change the past. But in two days, we can change the future. This Republican Congress must be fired because they are still putting their own egos above the truth—and above human lives.

This election is our last chance to show what happens when politicians use fear and lies to start a war. If they get away with it this time, they'll do it again. But if it costs them their power, we can send a message to future politicians in the only language they understand—and stop the next unnecessary war before it begins. The choice is ours.

I'm calling voters today from home. Will you join me?

http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/fp.html?id=9434-7018597-AXhPBGcfPUUv8B7qZw2mdw&t=3

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, I watched the attack on the World Trade Center with a special horror because the people killed were all civilians without training, arms, or defense. I called my unit that afternoon and begged, "Wherever this came from, send me there."

But that's not where they sent me. They sent me to Iraq.

Around a month into my tour, my small unit was ambushed by hundreds of insurgent fighters at a Coalition Provisional Authority base. The local security force (hired by corporate mercenaries) deserted immediately, taking guns and radios with them.

We were besieged for 22 straight hours under a steady stream of small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Forces from multiple nations attempted rescues throughout the night. At dawn, when morning prayers created a pause in the attack, we managed to escape with our lives.

I spent the next 11 months doing convoys, writing reports, and getting to know the real Iraq. I talked to hundreds of Iraqis; many became true friends. I saw the rage after Abu Ghraib. And I saw way too many innocent civilians die as the country slipped further and further over the edge.

The troops I served with suffered from limited ammunition, armor, resources, and staff. While we brushed our teeth in dirty water recycled from the showers, Halliburton reps got rich off contracts handed to them by their Republican friends back in Washington.

Reservists like me risk our lives when Congress says we must—and we need citizens like you to hold them accountable when they betray that trust.

This Tuesday is our very last chance to do that. It's the last chance for Americans to stand up and say we will not forget, we will not excuse, and we will not let this betrayal happen again.

For my fellow troops still in the field, for the thousands who have yet to put on the uniform, and for the hopes we all have for a peaceful world—it's time to Call for Change.

Respectfully,

–Ginmar, concerned citizen
Sunday, November 5th, 2006

P.S. You can sign up to make turnout calls from home by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/fp.html?id=9434-7018597-AXhPBGcfPUUv8B7qZw2mdw&t=4

And if you want to send a personal note of support to Ginmar to let her know she inspired you to Call for Change, we'll be happy to pass it on. Just write to C4Cletters@moveon.org


PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Halloween was great fun! Ken and I fixed up the front porch REALLY SCARY...We put candles in jars throughout the front yard/garden, spiders and bats everywhere. The trick-or-treaters’ had to walk through hanging spiders and web to enter our yard--the kids loved it. I remember the thrill of being scared and overcoming it as a kid myself, it felt empowering to beat fear of the things that go bump in the night...The Grand’s (ten & five) came over just at dark for a feast of maggots (chicken casserole), brains (mac & cheese), rotten worms (green beans)and bone cakes (cornbread). Anthony (10) was disguised as a 'Grim Rapper" and Kiki (5) was a half devil half angel--and this was not a disguise! They are great kids! I am a very fortunate Granny...The kids spend a lot of time with me as my daughter and her husband's work make Family life difficult. But they are committed loving parents. I am so proud of how they play and work with their kids. They are not the new traditional American Family where entertainment is based on the next TV show or Nintendo games00though they do enjoy both. They love to go camping and hiking. The kitchen is often messy with the newest experiment from explosive baking powder/vinegar volcanoes to some rather interesting concoctions called soup... (smiling here) Anyway, the fun broke my shitty mood. I am back on track living day to day, appreciating the beauty life has to offer in the midst of chaos our world seems to have become.. Enjoying the company of Family and Friends, planning our wedding and studying the candidates and amendments for the elections tomorrow----Go Democrats! Life is good in Okie Land--

So, this is my first entry. When I first decided to do a live Journal, I had thought I would start with a happy entry with a brief history of my life, and where I am now. As we all know, Life is not always so easy.....I hope that by writing my emotions in complete honesty will be helpful in keeping me honest with my emotions.....We humans often find ourselves not just hiding from others and or LIFE, but from ourselves. Sooooo.....


Today feels like shit! I feel angry, hurt, confused. My Partner and I are in the midst of planning our wedding--Nov. 22. It should be a happy time. And it is, he his a wonderful man. He is not the cause of pain today. Life is.....Today I cannot shrug off the pain in the universe--as if I am powerful and important enough to change it.... Ken and I spent the last year in Louisiana. We first worked with Veterans for Peace as first responders and went on to form an Org. ourselves. We worked with many families, bringing in supplies, mucking and gutting homes, helping to rebuild homes, listening. We provided a place for other Vollies to come and take a break from the work we were all doing. Our Camp was located in Slidell on a beautiful Bayou, perfect to get away from all the destruction around us. But the folks so affected by this Storm continue to struggle so hard. It will be years.... And I know that so many will be lost forever.....So many children who experienced things saw things that no child should have to deal with. (Dear God look at countries like Darfur, Irag , mexico and so on) There are very little resources for them to learn how to cope....believe in a happy future... I have heard too many stories from residents, seen to many things myself. And the big shit is this...so many of their lives were doomed long before the Storm. To many lives in every community where people are hungry, scared, terrorized, brutally treated or simply neglected. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse... I see blank eyes into empty souls where there is no hope. I hear the cries of mothers looking for their families, fathers looking for their children.. Angry eyes into souls so full of hate and again--no hope for a future. People stealing, hitting, killing. Iraq, Darfur, Seira Leone, US-- Detroit, Chicago, Wynnewood (population 3,000)---and our citizens walk into Starbucks and pay ridiculous prices for coffee that is grown in countries where the kids work in the fields instead of going to school and still live in unbearable poverty. Americans have pulled their blinders on and locked them in place, never asking how that coffee got to their table. We still are not demanding our Government tell us the truth and take responsibility for the harm we have caused around the world in our trade policies and our so called spread of Democracy and our people suffer too in low wages and no health care. Women and children raped in Darfur, to many of our soldiers murdering and torturing in Iraq, our Government sanctioning these abuses, writing them into law (Military Commissions Act of 2006) and we --ask no questions--just drink our coffee and plan our weddings....I have always believed that by doing the next right, by helping one person, one family, one day at a time; knowing that often that is all we can do--that it helps. When you look at the numbers of folks affected by Katrina and all we assisted was maybe a hundred-----do the math it stinks...But it is a hundred doing better and that is good! But today---it stinks!

My son of 21 years called me today. He called to tell me that he had really fucked up big time last night. He has been involved with a wonderful girl--they have always seemed the ying and yang, complementing each other, so beautiful together. He fucked some----whoever---last night. (I know, in the whole horrible things in the world, this may not seem so big--but any of us who have been there no the terrible hurt it can cause) He said he was going to get his stuff from their home and call her--JESUS/GOD... He instantly said--not right, huh? I said no--not right. I told him he was gong to have to deal with it like a man----eeewww--but really, he was gong to have to talk with her face to face, deal with her hurt and anger for both her sake and his. I could feel the hurt in his voice, his anger at himself... At first he tried to excuse it by saying that he was feeling like it was time to end the relationship---no outsider could see and end in the lovely way they dance their lives together... but then we are only observing their life..I hurt for him and her; he has always been a kind spirit. We all fuck up sometimes--good people can do bad things--I believe he will handle this with respect and honesty and it is his life. But dammit, when are folks going to understand that our breath is all breath. I know that ultimately we are all alone--we are only one person. At the same time I know that we are all intertwined and what we do does affect others..I have sure screwed up plenty myself, we all do. All we can do is make amends if needed, hopefully learn and grow...I told him my arms are around him as he has to deal with the consequences of his actions.

Today, I feel all the pain and injustice in the universe as if I am so fucking powerful, I could do something about it; stupid human ego...And I feel helpless and ineffective-----------