The New York Times’ James Risen gets his hands on Pentagon and Congressional reports into mega-contractor KBR’s faulty electric wiring of Iraq buildings. Apparently 283 electrical fires that destroyed or damaged military facilities have been the result of KBR wiring.

Risen has been on this story for a while and he helpfully lays out the basics of the growing scandal. KBR and the Pentagon knew that dangerous wiring was "the most urgent noncombat safety hazard in Iraq." But the issue didn’t get national attention until this winter when Ryan D. Maseth, a green beret, was fatally electrocuted while showering in his Baghdad barracks.

There have been a lot of scandals involving Afghanistan and Iraq war contracts. What’s maybe most interesting about this one is how representative it seems of the Iraq reconstruction effort. KBR has been asked to do everything, including supply food and water. Such deep dependency on contractors makes it almost impossible for the Pentagon to just kick them out of the war zone. Risen has not identified a few bad apples here but tapped into the structural flaws of the Iraq reconstruction plan.-MB

The Washington Post’s Dana Hedgpeth reports that both investigations into Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, are now closed. Federal prosecutors and the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency, which is essentially a group of inspectors general policing other inspectors general, had been investigating Bowen for tampering with emails and disrespecting employees.

That Bowen’s personal conduct has come under scrutiny is a shame, because as an inspector general he’s issued memorably scathing reports on Iraqi reconstruction efforts. Hopefully the events this week signal that Bowen can once again pinpoint Iraq’s multiple reconstruction problems — for the brief time he’s expected to stay in office.-MB

Ace Washington Post foreign policy correspondent Karen DeYoung is given a chance to snark away with a piece on members of Congress visiting Iraq. Lawmakers like Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) suggest that it’s impossible to make sound Iraq War policy unless you "feel the heat" and "see the dust" of this ravaged desert country. Of course, lawmakers see the heat and dust they want to see in well-scripted tours and meetings with members of the armed forces.

Understanding Government usually has at least one blog post a day critical of the Pentagon. But this article is occasion to at least defend the armed services in Iraq. It’s patronizing for lawmakers to spend a few minutes with the military, and then make an evaluation of the situation that invariably conforms to their evaluation prior to the trip. Pentagon officials should give lawmakers honest information, not show them authentic dust.-MB

The Bush administration won’t deter global warming, but, as small consolation, it’s let the Environmental Protection Agency release its report on global warming-causing greenhouse gases.

The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin and David A. Farenthold tell us that the report warns that in 20-30 years the elderly, poor and those living in American inner cities will be susceptible to dying from higher temperatures. There will also be more hurricanes and other extreme weather patterns.

Last week the EPA announced that while everything its scientists say points to the urgent need for greenhouse gas regulation, it would not be regulating greenhouse gases. A former EPA scientist has said that senior officials met with Exxon Mobile, the American Petroleum Institute, and the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association. Perhaps these companies drove home the "complexity" of the global warming issue.-MB