You know, they never seem to report the good news from Mess O'
Potamia. Never. Like the power plants being rebuilt, the schools being repainted/rebuilt, or those medical clinics being built...ooops, belay my last.

A reconstruction contract for the building of 142 primary health centers across Iraq is running 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.

Parsons, according to the Corps, will walk away from more than 120 clinics that on average are two-thirds finished. Auditors say the project serves as a warning for other U.S. reconstruction efforts due to be completed this year.

I wonder how many other contractors are getting ready to pull the plug on their reconstruction efforts. I'm sure that they all bought into the wingnut NeoCon fantasy of the cakewalk in Iraq, and saw massive windfall profits on the government dole (the rugged right-wing corporate small-government conservatives that they are) and jumped on the CPA no-bid donor list. I guess that when the cost of doing business is having your employees potentially kidnapped and murdered, it gets to be a bit too high, even for the Donor Contingent.

I wonder if there's buyer's remorse in that boardroom right now...and if they're scraping off their "Bunnypants for King '04" bumperstickers today.