Chief of Engineers in Iraq Slams the Washington Post

I am submitting this as a Letter to the Editor based on the terrible, and largely inaccurate, article I read by Andy Mosher. he knows there is a good side to the story of Reconstruction in Iraq; he saw it! yet he chose to write a negative story based on old SIGIR findings. Why? Don't you want the American people to know the truth?

After spending almost three days traveling with and being interviewed by one of the co-writers of a very poorly written article (“Much Undone in Rebuilding Iraq, Audit says”, Washington Post, August 2, 2006), I’m astounded at how distorted a good story can become and what agenda drives a paper to see only the bad side to the reconstruction effort here in Iraq. Instead of distorting the facts, let’s get to the truth.

There is no flailing reconstruction effort in Iraq. The United States has rightfully invested $20 billion in Iraq’s reconstruction - in the opinion of many here, we should do more. This massive undertaking is part of a wider strategy for success in Iraq that involves the establishment of a democratic government, the development of professional Iraqi Security Forces, and the restoration of basic essential services and facilities to promote the sustained economic development of this new country.

Yes, this reconstruction effort has been challenged occasionally by security, poor materials, poor construction program management practices, and in some cases poor performance by contractors for a variety of reasons. The Department of State and Defense professionals over here, many of them civilian volunteers, and the Iraqi associates who risk their lives every day to have a future that approximates what America has today, continuously see the challenges and develop and implement solutions. This is a core part of managing construction anywhere in the world and, while somewhat more complex here, it is successfully being accomplished. Have we been guilty of poor planning and mismanagement? The answer to that is, at times, yes. But professionals constantly strive to overcome challenges that arise and we are succeeding and making Iraq better every day!

The heart of the article rests on several old statements by the Special Investigator General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) which infer these are recent or recurring problems. The SIGIR knows that, in fact, program management, construction quality, progress, and accountability have all improved significantly since the early days of the effort some three years ago. Yet, the reporters’ “project problems” comments infer that these are recent issues. Such actions inflame public opinion in the United States and create resentment by the very people so many conscientious Americans over here are trying to help here in Iraq and worse, embolden our very enemies.

When I arrived here a year ago we planned to complete 3,200 reconstruction projects. Today we are focusing on the completion of 3,700 projects. We’ve started 3,500 of those projects and completed almost 2,800…and work is continuing! This is not a failure to meet our commitment to the Iraqi people as the article states. In some cases we are not executing the same projects—we have changed to meet new priorities of three government changes in Iraq since our arrival—but in all cases, rest assured, these projects will be completed. We discussed this at length with the reporter…and he was taking notes and recording our conversations.

We told the reporter that, while 141 health clinic construction projects were taken away from a U.S. contractor who failed to perform, they were re-awarded to Iraqi contractors who are already demonstrating progress, have improved quality and shown their great desire to work with the United States to help Iraq improve…and they are doing so phenomenally! We did talk to the reporter about on electricity. Three-quarters of Iraq gets twice as much electricity today as they did before the war. Furthermore, we are working with the Minister of Electricity to improve the situation in Baghdad daily and have doubled the hours of power from four to eight in the capitol in the last six months in spite of the fact that demand is markedly increased with Iraqis’ new ability to buy personal electrical products. What is truly amazing to me is that we took the reporter to the Nasiriyah prison project and, while it is true that we terminated the prime U.S. contractor for failure to perform, the Iraqi sub-contractor continues to work there (now directly for us) and his progress and quality have improved significantly...and he saw that! We are not turning unfinished work over to the Iraqis as he stated in his article; we are fulfilling the U.S. commitment to the people of Iraq and using Iraqis to do it!

The reporter didn’t tell you about the hundreds of dedicated military and civilian professionals he saw over here working to make Iraq better, or the Iraqis who come to work every day at their own peril because they believe in what we, and they, are accomplishing together. He failed to tell you about Aseel or Salah who worked for the Corps of Engineers since we arrived in 2003, because they wanted to make their country like ours, but who were recently brutally murdered in the streets because they worked for the Americans. He never wrote about the Water Treatment Plant he visited that will provide fresh potable water to over half a million people in southern Iraq in just two more months, or the one in northern Iraq that is providing water for the 330,000 citizens of Irbil. He never told folks back home about the thousands of children that are now in 800 new or rebuilt schools, or about oil production now being back to pre-war levels and getting better everyday, or raw sewage being taken out of the streets and put back in the pipes where it belongs, or about the thousands of miles of new roads, or post offices, police stations or courthouses or… well, he just left a great deal out now, didn’t he?

Why? Perhaps it’s because some in the press don’t want the American people to know the truth and prefer instead to only report the negative aspects of the news because “it sells papers.” We deserve better from those who claim the protection of the Constitution we are fighting to support and defend. America, don’t give up. You are doing much better over here than all too many of your press will tell you. If you are tired of fighting for freedom and democracy for those who so strongly long for the country we have, then think of the alternatives for a moment. Iraq will be better for our efforts and so will the world. And you are making it happen. Be proud and keep supporting this vital effort. It is the most important thing America can do.

Thank you. I invite you and your staff to come over at any time to get the facts. I took a risk with Mr Mosher and obviously got what I consider to be a very unbalanced representation of what he saw, personally. But I still believe in general in the press and will always be open to helping you tell a balanced story.

MG Bill McCoy
CG, Gulf Region Division/Dir, Project and Contracting
Office
Multi-National Force-Iraq

The Post does not heed such letters. To them it is not truth or accuracy; it is only one writers point of view.

The only way to hit the WaPo is to CX your subscription.

What can anyone expect from the Washington COMPOST. Unfortunately, this story will never make it to the MSM. It is so discouraging to see the American people being manipulated by the media for their own political agenda. Thank God we have the Internet but even that is not enough. Our college students are being brainwashed by their liberal professors so that almost every journalism major is now a left wing liberal. We have to do something to counter their influence but I am at a loss has to how.

“I took a risk with Mr Mosher and obviously got what I consider to be a very unbalanced representation of what he saw, personally.”

Bill McCoy is not alone... our elected, Republican officials in Washington get the same treatment. But Mr. McCoy... I'm sure... will never go back to the MSM expecting a fair shake.

Our elected, Republican officials WILL.

If MG McCoy had some real cajones he would go on the Fox news or some other news show from Iraq and lambaste this story and call the reporter what he realy is...a liar. We need our generals to start acting like generals instead of acting like the asskissers most of them seem to be. What would Eisenhower or Patton or McArthur do in this situation? They sure as hell wouldn't be writing letters on some blog, they would be raising some real hell and kicking some real ass. If McCoy doesn't think he got a fair shake (and he didn't!) then it behooves him to get loud and nasty or just STFU and roll over until he retires-like most of them do!

The Post's response to this criticism would be that the reporter's article reflects the unbiased truth, while the general is simply attempting to excuse his (and the administration's) shortcomings.

The irony is that the Post fails to recognize that their reporter could also be attempting to advance a particular set of values. But because HE is a JOURNALIST he is somehow endowed with a zen-like shield of objectivity, while the general, a MILITARY man, is obviously unable to escape his personal biases.

Never mind that this military man is probably far better at his job, with considerably more demonstrable experience at it than the reporter is at his. Or that the general's abilities have been tested under the harshest conditions, while the reporter's greatest adversity was the time the Greenbriar bar ran out of Johnny Walker.

Sir - to clarify, the general did not post his letter to "some blog," he sent it to the WaPo. I posted his letter here - to the Free Republic news forum. IMHO, he presented his side of the matter with poise and clarity - with the dignity expected of a senior military officer. Thank you for your feedback.

What really bites is that our military had to put themselves at risk when showing this piece of crap reporter around.

For the next comPost reporter, give them a 9mm pistol, flak jacket, a map and a canteen, drive them into the heart of the city let them off and tell them to go get the story themselves, 'because we have better things to do than help or protect someone who thinks we aren't doing our job'

"But I still believe in general in the press and will always be open to helping you tell a balanced story."

Sentence above is the biggest mistake and threat to the war effort. The Press and MSM don't want to get the balanced story and the more balanced info they are given is more opportunity for distortion.

You should also find and include the story about the Boston Globe reporter who misrepresented an injured Sgts perspective on the Iraq War. After watching him call-out this reporter on Oreilly's show last night, it's a wonder anyone believes a thing written by these people.

This is the second time I've read the letter from this General. It is obvious the WaPo has no intention of running his letter and the blogs are doing it instead. My contention is, and continues to be, he (McCoy) should have known he was being setup by this so-called reporter, and should have acted accordingly. McCoy was sucker punched as a result, but instead of going real public real quick, he chose to write a never to be published letter. Were he a true General in every sense of the word, he would let it all hang out and never look back. Like most of them, he chose to be a wuss. He owes the men under his command a hell of a lot more than he has done, and if he worked for me, I'd fire his ass so quick he wouldn't know what happened. (He still hasn't figured out what happened anyway!) Sorry about that.

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