US Department of State: Transitioning to a Civilian-led Mission in Iraq
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The embassy has been moving forward with completion of remaining reconstruction projects and transferring responsibility to local and provincial governments and the GOI. Project completion and transfer will continue beyond the spring of 2011 when the embassy’s Iraq Strategic Partnership Office (ISPO) is set to close. When the office closes, ISPO consultant staff under the embassy’s economic section will continue to work on remaining projects, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managing the technical aspects. Delays in completing and transferring projects have been attributed to the problematic security environment and poor contractor performance.
Establishing a viable diplomatic mission in Iraq without the considerable support and resources of DOD will almost certainly require years of effort and the investment of significant resources. However, difficulties in making final decisions and completing plans have hindered the ability to derive firm, detailed budget figures for completing the transition and sustaining operations. The administration requested $2.7 billion for Iraq in FY 2011 and has requested $6.3 billion in FY 2012.
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