Flawed wiring still electrocuting US troops in Iraq

Four years after after an emergency bulletin issued by the U.S. military - with the title "The Unexpected Killer" - at least two other soldiers were electrocuted, according to Pentagon and congressional investigators.

The Defense Contract Management Agency to oversee the maintenance work by contractors at U.S. bases in Iraq has tried to defend himself in a written statement as KBR, which until last year was known as the name of Kellogg, Brown and Root and was a subsidiary of Halliburton.

From Sunday's NYT:

"Defense Contract Management Agency, which is responsible for overseeing maintenance work by contractors at U.S. bases in Iraq, defended his performance. In a written statement, the agency said it had no information that staff members "were aware" of the army or warning "Omis to take appropriate measures in response to unsafe conditions brought to our attention."

Keith Ernst, who resigned Wednesday in the Agency's Director, said, however, that the agency was "stretched too thin in Iraq and that the low number of contract did not have expertise in treating so-called contracts life support, as that awarded to KBR to provide food, shelter and building maintenance. "We do not have the technical capability of monitoring life support systems," he said.

For its part, KBR, which until last year was known as Kellogg, Brown and Root and was a subsidiary of Halliburton, denied that any lapses by the company led to the shock of American soldiers . "KBR's commitment to employee safety and security of those who serves society is unwavering," said a spokesman, Heather Browne. "KBR has found no evidence of a link between the work he has been responsible for conducting and the electric shock.

Ms. Browne has refused to respond to the specific accounts of former KBR electricians.

Electricians have a response ready to anyone who suggests that poor electrical work could be regarded as an inevitable cost of war. "The excuse KBR always used was, 'This is a war zone - what do you expect?" Recalled Jeffrey Bliss, an Ohio electrician who has worked for the company in Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006 . "But if you are going to do the job, you have to be safe."

As the USA invaded Iraq in 2003, tens of thousands of American soldiers were housed in the pre-existing Iraqi government buildings, some of them dangerously dilapidated. As part of its $ 30 billion contract with the Pentagon in Iraq, KBR has been necessary for the repair and updating of many buildings, including their electrical systems. The company manages the maintenance of structures 4000 and 35000 containers housing in the war zone, the Pentagon said.

The legislature and government investigators say it is now clear that the Bush administration subcontracting so much work to KBR and other contractors in Iraq that the agencies responsible for monitoring have been submerged. The defense contractor Management Agency has more than 9000 employees, but has only 60 officers contract in Iraq and Afghanistan 30 to oversee nearly 18000 employees of KBR in Iraq and Afghanistan in 4400 handling maintenance of the base.

"All officers contract can do is check the papers," said an official of the Agency, who asked not be identified. While about 600 army officers to complete the contract officers, M . Ernst said, soldiers are not sufficiently trained for the task.

The Army gave few details of shock, other than to say Saturday that 10 soldiers had been electrocuted in Iraq. A committee of the House also reported that two sailors died the same way. "