Iraq Bomb Attacks Kill Several Iraqis, US Soldier
02 May 2006
New bomb attacks in Iraq have killed several Iraqis and a U.S. soldier.
Police say a bomb hidden inside a minibus exploded Tuesday in central Baghdad's Shorja district, killing at least two people and wounding five. Monday, a roadside bomb killed an American soldier south of Baghdad.
Meanwhile, a U.S. expert reviewing the reconstruction of Iraq says the rebuilding effort has made substantial progress, despite setbacks caused by security problems.
The findings come in a Pentagon report released Monday by Stuart Bowen, a special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.
The report says Washington has only $2 billion left to spend on rebuilding projects, out of the $21 billion it has allocated to Iraq since 2003.
Bowen's study highlighted several areas in which reconstruction efforts have fallen short of targets.
The report criticizes a U.S. task force that was set up to help Iraqis protect their oil and gas facilities. It says the task force has failed to meet its goal of boosting Iraqi oil production back pre-war levels.
The study also says a U.S.-funded contractor that promised to build 150 health care clinics in Iraq has only completed six, and has already spent three-quarters of its budget.
In other news, President Bush said Monday the emergence of new leaders in Iraq represents a turning point for the country. But three years after declaring an end to major combat operations in Iraq, he warned that the country still faces challenges and violence.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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