US Opens Contracts to All

The United States has announced that $6 billion worth of U.S.-funded non-construction contracts in Iraq will be open to all nations. However, construction deals are still limited to countries that supported the U.S. war effort, said a U.S. government Web site Wednesday.

The website, www.rebuilding-iraq.net, announced companies from all countries were invited to apply for non-construction contracts. The only exception was a $327 million contract for the Iraqi army.

The United States original position was that all prime deals to rebuild Iraq would be reserved to countries that supported the war effort.