U.S. auditors return $13 million to Iraq, billions wasted

The U.S. has returned $13 million to Iraq – found "improperly" in American reconstruction budgets – results of an increased workload for the top U.S. auditor of Iraq rebuilding efforts, Ben Lando reports.

There’s a long way to go still: the head of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction said Monday between 15 percent and 20 percent of the $21 billion in Iraq Reconstruction and Relief Funds, appropriated by Congress, was lost due to waste. The blame falls on U.S. leadership, he said. A much smaller number was chalked up to fraud, Stuart Bowen said, though he called the instances "egregious" and touted the 35 people convicted.