Mum’s Mostly the Word on Firm’s Work in Iraq

American taxpayers will have to take the word of federal officials that U.S. involvement in the rebuilding of Iraq’s education system since the ouster of former President Saddam Hussein is going well.

No independent evaluation of the current two-year contract held by Creative Associates International Inc., the Washington-based firm engaged to support the Iraqi Ministry of Education in that restructuring, has been completed. The contract took effect in July 2004.

Called Education II, it is the second contract that the U.S. Agency for International Development has given to Creative Associates for education work in Iraq and is worth at least $51.8 million. Creative Associates was paid $56.5 million for carrying out the first yearlong contract, which took effect in May 2003, soon after U.S.-led forces overthrew the Hussein regime. ( "Creative Associates Gets New Iraq Contract," ...