From an interesting
article in the Washington Post:
"U.S. Army engineers who came to survey the damage proposed rebuilding the plant...estimating it would take $23 million and up to a year to complete the job...With the help of $10,000 from the U.S. military, and $240,000 left over in factory bank accounts, [Iraqis working on their own] used scrap electronics, tore up one production line to get parts for the other, and fixed the plant in three months."
Somewhat lengthy, but rather worth a read, as it paints a picture of just how little the concern is with getting Iraq to be self-sufficient compared to channeling money to US contractors.
Instead of attempting to bring Iraq up to 21st-Century standards, the CPA needs to focus on getting what is there working while employing as many Iraqis as is possible (I'd imagine, however, that this is far too Keynesian for the administration) in rebuilding their country their own way.