Iraq mistakes stand for Afghan repeat; Iraqi transition a priority, Hill says; Syrian, Iraqi officials meet in Baghdad; Private funds rival Afghan drug trade; U.S. vets Afghan envoy, Ban appoints Galbraith; Iran to attend Afghan conference

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- In Iraq, I overheard a contractor advising a recently arrived colleague to do "the minimum," or else all the contractors would be expected to accomplish much more. The object, in this case, is not to get things done, but simply to be seen as in the process of getting things done. That is, motion without progress.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure after the 2003 invasion have been fraught with billions of dollars in waste, an official says.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq have been a $100 billion failure, hampered by poor pre-invasion planning and ongoing turf wars, a federal report says.

BAGHDAD, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government has fired anti-corruption officials who were installed by order of U.S. officials, The New York Times said.

FALLUJAH, Iraq, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A wastewater treatment plant meant to symbolize U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure is over-budget and behind schedule, officials say.

WASHINGTON, April 29 (UPI) -- An audit by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found billions of dollars of Iraqi reconstruction funds went unused.

WASHINGTON, April 25 (UPI) -- Statistics on the strength of Iraqi security forces are unreliable and the country is unprepared to handle its own security, a U.S. inspector general said.

WASHINGTON, April 24 (UPI) -- Iraqis would be forced to pay for U.S. efforts in their country directly or via loans from the United States if any of at least five similar pieces of legislation introduced on Capitol Hill this month is approved.