the Sugar Conspiracy

Monday, September 27, 2004

When reality intrudes, part III

One:

Bush said more than $9 billion would be spent on contracts in the next “several months” to rebuild Iraqi schools, refurbish hospitals, repair bridges, upgrade the electrical grid and modernize the communication system, although congressional aides and some administration officials said spending would increase more slowly.

Two:

Bush said preparations were also under way to conduct “free national elections no later than January.” He said an Iraqi electoral commission had already hired personnel, and U.N. electoral advisers are on the ground.

Critics countered that many of the critical steps in conducting the elections, such as the procurement of vehicles, voting equipment and ballots, had not begun. They said the electoral commission had received only $7 million of the $232 million set aside in Iraqi funds and that the United Nations had only a few advisers in the country.

Three:

Bush on Saturday also touted efforts to train Iraqi security forces. He said nearly 100,000 “fully trained and equipped” Iraqi soldiers, police officers and other security personnel were already working and that the Iraqi government was on track to build a force of over 200,000 security personnel by the end of 2005.

Documents prepared by Defense Department officials and given to lawmakers showed fewer than 100,000 would be trained by the end of this year. They also showed that of the nearly 90,000 now in the police force, only 8,169 had the full eight-week academy training. It will be July 2006 before the administration’s new goal of 135,000 fully trained police is met.

At what point can we just start calling these lies?

(via Tbogg.)

UPDATE: Reuters lays it all out.

posted by chris at 3:40 PM
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