, ▁Ira q ' s ▁Electric ity ▁Minister ▁announced ▁that ▁Ira q ' s ▁electric ity ▁supply ▁had ▁ris en ▁to ▁above ▁pre - war ▁levels . ▁ ▁Al leg ations ▁of ▁human ▁rights ▁viol ations ▁by ▁the ▁occup ying ▁forces ▁have ▁been ▁embar rass ing ▁to ▁the ▁Bush ▁administration ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁government . ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁alleg ations ▁have ▁been ▁investig ated . ▁Several ▁U . S . ▁and ▁British ▁officers ▁have ▁been ▁charged ▁with ▁the ▁ab use ▁of ▁prisoners , ▁and ▁as ▁of ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁seven ▁American ▁soldiers ▁have ▁been ▁conv icted ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁ab use ▁at ▁the ▁Ab u ▁Gh ra ib ▁prison . ▁▁ ▁Form er ▁Ba ' ath ▁Party ▁members ▁and ▁military ▁officers ▁who ▁have ▁no ▁criminal ▁past ▁or ▁human ▁rights ▁ab uses ▁have ▁been ▁allowed ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁government ▁positions . ▁ ▁Re const ruction ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁reconst ruction , ▁contract s ▁were ▁awarded ▁to ▁private ▁companies . ▁Initial ly ▁companies ▁from ▁countries ▁that ▁had ▁opposed ▁the ▁war ▁were ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁these ▁contract s , ▁but ▁this ▁decision ▁was ▁revers ed ▁due ▁to ▁protest s . ▁Political ▁activ ists ▁and ▁comment ators ▁al lege ▁that ▁The ▁Pent agon ▁fav oured ▁companies ▁like ▁Hal lib ur ton , ▁former ▁employ er ▁of ▁Vice ▁President ▁Dick ▁Chen ey , ▁because ▁they ▁had ▁connections ▁to ▁high - ran king ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Bush ▁administration . ▁This ▁susp icion ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁a ▁concern ▁during ▁the ▁global ▁protest s