All those nightly multi-part in-depth investigative reports that the even handed press did about the waste, poor planning, and fraud that led to our $100 billion failure restoring basic services in Iraq.
From today’s NYT:
(On the eve of the invasion) Jay Garner, a retired lieutenant general who had hastily been named the chief of what would be a short-lived civilian authority called the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. Had a meeting with Donald Rumsfeld in which Garner presented Rumsfeld with several rebuilding plans, including one that would include projects acorss Iraq.
“What do you think that will cost?” Mr. Rumsfeld asked of the more expansive plan.
“I think it is going to cost billions of dollars,” Mr. Garner said.
“My friend,” Mr. Rumsfeld replied “if you think we are going to spend a billion dollars of our money over there, you are sadly mistaken.”
Rumsfeld’s office confirmed that the quotes are accurate.