WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 - The most carefully read document on Capitol Hill at the moment is the detailed list of the Bush administration's plans to rebuild Iraq, which resembles no other spending request in recent memory.
In explaining how it proposes to spend $20.3 billion to restore a civil society to Iraq, the administration has prepared a virtual travelogue of the country's descent into destruction and chaos. Nearly every structure of public life that Americans take for granted - from firefighting to water supply to the post offices - is described as decimated, far worse than the administration ever imagined.
"We found the infrastructure in the country was in a lot worse shape than we thought, and that's the problem we've got," L. Paul Bremer III, the American administrator in Iraq, told the Senate Appropriations Committee a few days ago. "We have got to redo that infrastructure. It's expensive."
But the vast breadth of the administration's rebuilding plans has also astonished lawmakers, coming at a time when deficits are keeping domestic spending under severe restraint. Mr. Bremer described the request as only the most fundamental, essential services needed to restore Iraq's economy and prevent further terrorism, but many members of Congress say the scope of the plan is beyond their expectations. Democrats have described many items on the list as "gold-plated" and unnecessary, any many Republicans have said the may have to trim back the plan to pacify uneasy constituents.
Even this spending bill, however, would only address a fraction of the nearly $100 billion in reconstruction needs for Iraq that have been identified by the World Bank and other global agencies. Administration officials say they hope to raise the balance from international donors.
This list, though not all-inclusive, shows most of the $20.3 billion in spending items requested by the Coalition Provisional Authority, headed by Mr. Bremer. The House is likely to begin voting on the request this week, along with the $67 billion in military assistance requested by the Defense Department. Votes in the Senate will follow the week after.
Public Safety, $2.1 billion
International Police training force, $800 million
A group of 1,500 would be assembled from around the world to train a new Iraqi police force in ÔÔdemocratically based principles of civilian policing.''
Traffic police, $50 million
The buildings, fleet and equipment of the 5,200-person traffic police department were destroyed or looted.
Border enforcement, $150 million
Almost all the previous border police deserted, and the administration proposes ÔÔa massive recruitment/ training program.'' At least 2,500 immigration inspectors will be trained, along with 2,250 consular officials, and 75 long-term outside advisers will be hired.
Fire service, $290 million
More than 165 firehouses were destroyed by the war and by looting, and there are no radios or firefighter gear.
Facilities protection, $67 million
* A guard system for public property: Training and administration, $15 million
* 80 pickup trucks, $2.6 million ($33,000 each)
* 400 handheld radios and 200 satellite phones, $3.6 million
Safety training, $274 million
Three public safety academies will be built or refurbished and courses will be conducted for 60,000 Interior Ministry employees.
Security communications system, $150 million
Includes a national 911 system and a fiber-optic network connecting security agencies in all major cities, as well as a radio network for fire and ambulance services.
National Security, $2.1 billion
New Iraqi Army, $2 billion
An "entirely new military structure" is needed to replace an army decimated in the war. The administration proposes building a force of 40,000 troops by next August. The request includes $82 million for a small coast guard, $22 million to establish a new Iraqi Defense Ministry, $51 million for military academies, and $6 million to send the best officers to overseas professional military schools.
Civil Defense Corps, $76 million
Lightly armed Iraqi battalions to replace American forces as guides and interpreters and to conduct searches and operate checkpoints.
Justice System, $919 million
Investigations into crimes against humanity, $100 million
About 500 experts and investigators will be paid $100,000 each to document crimes committed by the Saddam Hussein regime.
Security for judges and prosecutors, $200 million
Personal security details for about 400 judges and prosecutors, plus security systems for about 130 court buildings.
Witness protection program, $100 million
Safeguarding about 100 families of witnesses in organized crime cases, possibly moving them overseas.
Prison construction, $500 million
Two 4,000-bed maximum-security prisons would be constructed (at $50,000 a bed), and 26 existing prisons and detention centers would be modernized or rebuilt.
Electrical System, $5.7 billion
Generation, $2.9 billion
Current generation capacity in Iraq is slightly more than half of its needs, and the resulting blackouts are described as the major source of discontentment, preventing the economy from recovering. This amount will restore existing generators, install more than a dozen new gas turbine units, and build several larger thermal power stations.
Transmission, $1.6 billion
One-fourth of all transmission towers are down, along with thousands of miles of power lines, which would be restored and expanded. International engineering firms would be brought in to make recommendations.
Distribution, $1 billion
Local power substations, damaged by looting and lack of maintenance, would be repaired and replaced.
Oil System, $2.1 billion
Capital investments, $1.2 billion
Iraq's principal source of revenue has been damaged by war, looting, and terrorist sabotage, the administration says, and the following investments are necessary just to approach pre-war levels of oil production:
* Rapid pipeline repair team, $55 million
* Four topping plants, the first stage in oil refinement, $125 million
* Backup distribution, including 200 fuel tankers and 250 LPG trucks, $68
million
* Oil system security force, training and equipment, $60 million
* Personal security for the Oil Minister and directors, $8 million
* Oil industry consultants, $5 million
* Pipeline and refinery repair, dating back to 1991, $575 million
Oil import purchases, $900 million
The oil system is so damaged that Iraq needs to import petroleum from abroad, the administration says, including a 30-day reserve. The products to be brought in include LP gas for cooking, kerosene for heating, benzene for automobiles, and diesel for larger equipment and power generation.
Water and Sanitation, $4.6 billiion
Potable water access, $2.8 billion
Only 60 percent of the population has access to safe drinking water, and even that water is not always reliable, the administration says. This amount would pay for water mains, reservoirs, salt-water treatment plants, tanker trucks and wells. Even that amount would only bring water to 90 percent of the population.
Reducing water loss, $30 million
About 60 percent of the available water is currently lost to leaks and other flaws. These repairs would bring that loss down to 40 percent.
Sewage improvements, $697 million
Only 6 percent of Iraqis have access to sewers, leading to illness and death, particularly among children. This amount would build treatment facilities and urban sewers, increasing the population with access to sewers to 11 percent, or 900,000 more people.
Solid waste management, $153 million
Fifty landfill sites at $1 million each for construction and equipment, along with 40 garbage trucks at $50,000 each.
Irrigation pumps, $75 million
The irrigation system was not badly damaged but this amount "will demonstrate to the people of rural Iraq that the coalition is dedicated to improving their lives," the request says.
Repair of old irrigation systems, $130 million
"Village and tribal leaders need clear examples of improvement to gain the confidence and backing of their members," the request says.
Dam safety repairs, $100 million
For work identified by an Army Corps of Engineers safety team.
Basra water supply, $200 million
Replacing an open canal to Iraq's second-largest city with a pipeline would prevent evaporation losses, the request says. This is just for the first phase; another $800 million will eventually be required.
Housing and construction, $470 million
Housing, $100 million
With no large-scale housing projects having been built in 20 years, the administration proposes building 3,528 new houses in seven areas around the country. The request notes that this amount will barely address the need for more than a million new housing units, but will show that housing needs are being addressed.
Public buildings, $130 million
Repair to more than 1,500 damaged buildings. Roads and bridges, $240 million
Lack of maintenance has produced 74,000 kilometers of deteriorating highways and streets, and 32 bridges damaged by the war have not been repaired. Nearly half is for Expressway 1, the major north-south route in the country.
Transportation and Telecommunications, $835 million
Civil aviation, $165 million
Reopening the Baghdad and Basra airports, along with 120 others around the country. These funds would pay for control towers, avionic equipment, fiber-optic communication lines, training for air traffic controllers, and security systems.
Ports, $45 million
The large Umm Qasr port would get perimeter security, cargo handling equipment, a new customs office, electric power and water.
Railroads, $303 million
Hundreds of locomotives are out of service because of vandalism, the administration says, and freight cars and buildings have been looted. This amount would repair or replace trains, tracks, signal systems, and two bridges.
Postal and telephone study, $54 million
A business study of the Iraqi Telephone Postal Company to determine its capital needs.
Postal system upgrade, $9 million
Automated systems for an "antiquated" post office would include bar coding for letters and packages, and establishment of a Zip code system.
Wireless internet, $19 million
A WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) network would link mobile computer users to a central network, and improve communications within the government.
Television and radio networks, $10 million
This amount would restart commercial broadcast and cable operations, using modern transmitters. Rogue broadcasters would either become licensed or shut down.
Telephone numbering system, $4 million
Establishment of area codes and a 911 emergency system (which would actually use the emergency number of 112).
Health Care, $850 million
New children's hospital, $150 million
This amount would begin construction on a $500-700 million hospital in Basra designed to improve high childhood mortality rates. It is described as a base for ÔÔcutting-edge research,'' and will be a "visible sign of the transformation of the health care system in Iraq," the request says.
Hospital refurbishment, $393 million
This amount would repair 200 of the existing 240 hospitals, and supply equipment for 900 of the 1,200 primary-care clinics and five regional maternal centers.
Medical equipment, $300 million
Nearly half the equipment in the 240 hospitals is in "desperate need of repair or replacement," the request says, including x-ray machines, incinerators, lab equipment and backup power generators.
Other Areas
Business development, $300 million
A $200 million fund would invest in private enterprises and supply western business knowledge, along with 22 employment centers for job counseling and assistance at a cost of $350,000 each. Job training would be provided in computer literacy, English as a second language, and vocational areas.
Refugee assistance, $105 million
This amount would help return over 500,000 Iraqis from neighboring countries and over 1 million internally displaced persons to their homes. Most of the money would be used by the United Nations, the Red Cross and other international organizations.
Local governments, $90 million
This amount would help 266 cities build public information centers to disseminate information about municipal services.
Property claims tribunal, $30 million
A special court would resolve thousands of property disputes that have arisen from the Saddam Hussein regime's appropriation of land and houses.
Banking improvements, $30 million
The request says the banking system was nearly destroyed in post-war looting, and proposes a modern, computerized system to create trust in bank accounts and promote foreign investment.
Business training, $20 million
This amount would provide a four-week training course to about 2,000 middle managers, at a cost of $10,000 each, to instruct them in modern Western business practices. "As Iraq opens its doors to direct foreign capital investment, it will need managers and leaders who understand these concepts," the request says.
Human rights, $15 million
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