GAO questions report on Iraq

GAO Says Figures in Administration's September 'Benchmark' Report Were Unreliable

PAULINE JELINEK, AP News
Jan 15, 2008 15:39 EST

The Bush administration, in its last so-called Iraq "benchmark" report, used questionable financial data to assert that the Baghdad government was making progress in managing its budget, a new study says.

The study released Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office focused specifically on whether Iraqis were spending their capital budget, that is money for infrastructure needed to boost the country's lagging economic growth and improve poor public services.