Report: Canceled Iraq contracts' tab $600M

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Mismanagement or poor construction cost the United States hundreds of millions of dollars in canceled contracts in Iraq, government investigators reported.

While 42 percent of canceled contracts were ended because of poor management or shoddy workmanship, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found the rest of the contracts were canceled because of security problems, lack of funds or requirement changes, USA Today said.

In their report issued in late October, investigators said the $600 million lost was on more than 1,200 contracts. Among the recommendations was better screening of contractors.

Many of the factors that led to contract cancellation were beyond control of the companies or the United States, DeDe Cordell, a spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Baghdad, told USA Today in an e-mail. "The very small number of issues found by the (inspector general) in this report is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people managing these complicated contracts."

Among the canceled contracts were construction of headquarters for two Iraqi military units, two prisons in Iraq and headquarters for an Iraqi military battalion.