WASHINGTON, March 1, 2007 – Barring additional requests and funding from the government of Iraq, U.S. reconstruction work in Iraq could draw to a close within 18 months, the top U.S. military official for reconstruction said yesterday. Army Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division, told bloggers in a conference call from Iraq that, with roughly $3.5 billion in U.S. reconstruction funds remaining, he foresees enough work to extend the U.S. effort about one and a half more years. “To date, the United States has contributed $22 billion towards Iraq’s...