All The King's Horses...

Here's an example of the good news out of Iraq that the MSM refuses to report...oh wait, nevermind. It's an example of a failed attempt to rebuild that broken country:

BAGHDAD -- A reconstruction contract for the building of 142 primary health centers across Iraq has run out of money, after two years and roughly $200 million, with no more than 20 clinics now expected to be completed, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says.

The contract, awarded to U.S. construction giant Parsons Inc. in the flush, early days of reconstruction in Iraq, was expected to lay the foundation of a modern health care system for the country, putting quality medical care within reach of all Iraqis. [...]

Coming with little public warning, the 86 percent shortfall of completions dismayed the World Health Organization's representative for Iraq. "That's not good. That's shocking," Naeema al-Gasseer said by telephone from Cairo. "We're not sending the right message here. That's affecting people's expectations and people's trust, I must say." [...]

Stuart Bowen, the top U.S. auditor for reconstruction, warned in a telephone interview from Washington that other reconstruction efforts may fall short like Parsons'. "I've been consumed for a year with the fear we would run out of money to finish projects," said Bowen, the inspector general for reconstruction in Iraq. [...]

In January, Bowen's office calculated the American reconstruction effort would be able to finish only 300 of 425 promised electricity projects and 49 of 136 water and sanitation projects.

While this certainly isn't shocking, it should serve as a warning to the administration/administration apologists who insist that there is good news in Iraq, it's just not being reported. Of course there are good things going on there. But, we still have 100,000+ troops on the ground and when 1 dies, the American people deserve to know about it. Furthermore, the reconstruction has clearly fallen short of expectations. First of all, its being paid for by American taxpayers, not oil revenues (or any of our 'coalition of the willing' partners, for that matter). The money that has been allocated for reconstruction either isn't being used efficiently or isn't getting where it needs to.

When searching for 'good' news out of Iraq, reconstruction is a logical area to look. However, three years after the outbreak of war the most basic services (electricity, water, health care) are still not being provided.

Obviously the insurgency and sectarian violence has interfered with reconstruction efforts:

"Security degenerated from the beginning. The expectations on the part of Parsons and the U.S. government was we would have a very benign construction environment, like building a clinic in Falls Church," said Earnest Robbins, senior vice president for the international division of Parsons in Fairfax, Va. Difficulty choosing sites for the clinics also delayed work, Robbins said.

Faced with a growing insurgency, U.S. authorities in 2004 took funding away from many projects to put it into building up Iraqi security forces.

"During that period, very little actual project work, dirt-turning, was being done," Bowen said. At the same time, "we were paying large overhead for contractors to remain in-country." Overhead has consumed 40 percent to 50 percent of the clinic project's budget, McCoy said.

All of this leads to a confirmation of an idea that is almost becoming passe: The Bush administration failed (miserably failed would be more accurate) to plan for ANY post-invasion scenarios. But don't expect to hear any such admission from the administration any time soon.

Finally, all this talk of 'good news from Iraq' has gotten me thinking of a story (over a week old by now) that I never blogged on: Laura Ingraham's disgusting comments about the media's coverage of Iraq.

Okay Ingraham, we understand that you recently returned from Iraq and did some first hand reporting. Personally, I respect and applaud you for that.

However, she needs to remove her fat head out of her ass. To return after a relatively short period of time and accuse actual reporters (not talk show radio hosts) of basically hiding in their hotel rooms is shameful. Keith Olbermann did a wonderful job of summing up Ingraham's asinine comments (via Crooks and Liars):

A note about Laura Ingraham's comments. I've known her a long time. I'll in fact give you the caveat that I've know her socially. But that hotel balcony crack was unforgivable. It was unforgivable to the memory of David Bloom, it was unforgivable in considerable of Bob Woodruff and Doug Vought, unforgivable in light of what happened to Michael Kelly and what happened to Michael Weiskopft. It was unforgivable with Jill Carroll still a hostage in Iraq. And it was not only unforgivable of her; it was desperate and it was stupid."

Quick note about Olbermann: He's been getting a lot of press lately, mainly due to his better ratings and his pissing match with Bill O'Reilly (personally, I think the two are related). I tend to think that Olbermann's ego may be growing along with his ratings. That being said, when he honestly opines about something that he cares about, something that matters, he can send chills up your spine. This was one of those times. Olbermann is absolutely right. Ingraham's deliberate oversight of the sacrifices that the evil MSM's reporters (and their families) have made is disgusting. I could keep going, but I'll spare everyone.

I'll go back to looking for good news out of Iraq...