The American-led reconstruction effort in Iraq is "in chaos" and suffering from "a complete absence of strategic direction", a very senior British official in Baghdad has told The Telegraph.
The comments paint a grim picture of American incompetence and mismanagement as the Coalition Provisional Authority struggles to run post-Saddam Iraq.
Paul Bremer: inter-departmental fighting
"This is the single most chaotic organisation I have ever worked for," the official said yesterday.
The source revealed that Paul Bremer, the US administrator in Iraq, had "fewer than 600" staff under his control to run a country the size of France in which the civil infrastructure was on the point of collapse.
"The operation is chronically under-resourced and suffers from an almost complete absence of strategic direction," he added.
