Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Quarterly Report and Semiannual report to the United States Congress
Abstract
This 22nd Quarterly Report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction is aptly themed "From Surge to Sovereignty." Several notable events this quarter have shaped the new operational environment now pervading Iraq: * the June 30 departure of U.S. combat forces from Iraqi cities, designated by Prime Minister al-Maliki as the "National Day of Sovereignty" * new presidential and parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region * the announcement by the Department of Defense of the imminent deployment of new U.S. Army "Advise and Assist Brigades," whose emphasis will be on capacity building rather than security * the reorganization of the U.S. Embassy by Ambassador Christopher Hill, to include the creation of a second Deputy Chief of Mission who will focus on reconstruction transition. Notwithstanding these important evolutions, several threats and vulnerabilities continue to impede progress, including: * the occurrence of several mass-casualty attacks, chiefly in northern provinces, which contributed to about 1,000 Iraqi deaths this quarter * the loss of the Deputy Director of the U.S. Iraq Transition Assistance Office and two others in an IED attack near Falluja * the rise in Kurdish-Arab tensions that could, as one senior Kurdish official observed, boil over into conflict * the struggle against widespread corruption in the Iraqi government. Within these developing contexts, SIGIR continues to execute its robust oversight mission in Iraq, maintaining a staff of 35 auditors, investigators, and inspectors in country. For the past five years, SIGIR has averaged about 30 audits and 30 inspections per year, which collectively have helped the U.S. program improve its course and save tens of millions in taxpayer dollars along the way.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 30, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA503818
Entities
People
- Stuart W. Bowen Jr.
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction