Rebuilt Iraq Projects Found Crumbling

In a troubling sign for the American-financed rebuilding program in Iraq, inspectors for a federal oversight agency have found that in a sampling of eight projects that the United States had declared successes, seven were no longer operating as designed because of plumbing and electrical failures, lack of proper maintenance, apparent looting and expensive equipment that lay idle.

The Iraqis themselves appear to share responsibility for the latest
problems, which cropped up after the United States turned the projects
over to the Iraqi government. Still, the new findings show that the
enormous American investment in the reconstruction program is at risk,
Mr. Bowen said.