Pearls of Iraq: U.S. has end in sight on Iraq rebuilding
This is the reconstruction update for the week. The future does not look good for Iraq (the media challenge still remains). Here it goes…
US government, shame on you! This may be old news from January 2 (click here), but I have held back and been quiet checking some resources. Shame on you.
I remain neutral on the decision to go into Iraq but not on rebuilding. As mentioned in my previous posts, the money has been diverted for security, and currently the media reports, the Justice System and Hussein Inquiry. First, I think, given a choice, the Iraq people would rather build schools, health care centers, vocation schools, improve electric, water, sewer and develop secure zones for investment and commerce compared to spending money on Saddam’s inquiry and trial.
Were they given a choice? Could the trial preparation and proceedings been less elaborate? What if Saddam was an ordinary person who ordered a hit killing on another person? Would he still warrant this much money spent? Get this trial completed. Some say, the Iraqi people need this trial to heal. Hmmm. At whose expense and sacrifice? Do the people know that this money could have been given for improved healthcare? That would have heal and saved many Iraqis lives. Or the trial is to teach a democratic justice system? Ok we get the idea, now trim the fat.
Second, what is this? “Since the reconstruction effort began in 2003, midcourse changes by U.S. officials have shifted at least $2.5 billion from the rebuilding of Iraq's decrepit electrical, education, water, sewage, sanitation and oil networks to build new security forces for Iraq and to construct a nationwide system of medium- and maximum-security prisons and detention centers that meet international standards, according to reconstruction officials and documents.” (Washington Post)
Billion. McCoy said: "This was just supposed to be a jump-start." So what is the “jump start” point? The war caused more destruction on the Iraqi infrastructure from both the initial invasion and now the terrorists and insurgents. It is lower now compared to before the US went into Iraq.
Some of the US and coalition errors stem from not heeding the advise of experts, especially in regards to the 5 million dollar report developed before 2003 outlining how to proceed if the US went into Iraq…yes US citizens paid for this report that took 4 years to develop by Iraqi experts including many Iraqis themselves. People who know the culture, the interaction of the religions (and there are many Sunni/Shia intermarriages, do not let the media fool you) and the real situation on the ground and which, would have prevented some of the current problems. This huge, expensive report and recommendations were ignored and tossed to the side. Flush, 5 million dollars and now as a result… more money down the drain. This is a case of 10 steps back and only a couple steps forward. This was not the fault of the Iraqi people, why must they suffer? This is true abandonment of the Iraqi people.
Security, well, the US government was advised by many people, experts before 2003, the jihadists were waiting for you to go into Iraq, they will flood the borders. Really, it does not take an expert to realize this, they were advised.
Time to trim more fat. Time to begin the transition from military focused approach to conflict reconciliation and civil society redevelopment. If this had been priority in the very beginning and conducted with the understanding of the Iraqi and Islamic culture, many of problems we see today would not exist and others would be more manageable. Instead from the beginning it was a military focus climate without a well planned phase IV in place.
Here is an interesting Pearl of Iraq voice from the article, “The Americans, said Zaid Saleem, 26, who works at a market in Baghdad, "are the best in destroying things but they are the worst in rebuilding."
Time to trim the fat, I repeat. Do the American people know there are over 3,000 people working at the US Embassy in the Green Zone? With full salaries and extra benefits for a conflict area? Most do not even leave the zone, of course, because of security. Can some of these people be stateside? It is a small village there, isolated. Imagine the costs of operating such a village in a conflict zone, flying food, generators, security. Oh yes…that is up to Halliburton…hmmm.
Ironically, the Iraqi Embassy in Washington operates under a skeleton staff at a time when it is crucial to be developing embassy services and interaction… including renovations of a very beautiful but old historical building which needs major repairs. They need funds released to allow all of this to happen. Why are the funds still being held? I respect the Iraq Embassy very much for their patience and working hard with less…Bless them.
This war in Iraq could be compared to a car run over by a tank. The car may have been old but now it is totaled. The passengers are in critical care but the hospital staff decided to leave the operating room to go play golf. Or is it to gear up for another “accident” somewhere else?
I call on the US and all the countries, begin a transitional military pullout, gradual, but please, please, do not abandon the Iraqi people. Help them get to a functional state. Divert some of the current military/security funding BACK to reconstruction. Please, do not abandon the Iraqi people now.
Things are not looking good for Blue Pearl’s school and Water Pearl’s healthcare facility.
US government, shame on you! This may be old news from January 2 (click here), but I have held back and been quiet checking some resources. Shame on you.
I remain neutral on the decision to go into Iraq but not on rebuilding. As mentioned in my previous posts, the money has been diverted for security, and currently the media reports, the Justice System and Hussein Inquiry. First, I think, given a choice, the Iraq people would rather build schools, health care centers, vocation schools, improve electric, water, sewer and develop secure zones for investment and commerce compared to spending money on Saddam’s inquiry and trial.
Were they given a choice? Could the trial preparation and proceedings been less elaborate? What if Saddam was an ordinary person who ordered a hit killing on another person? Would he still warrant this much money spent? Get this trial completed. Some say, the Iraqi people need this trial to heal. Hmmm. At whose expense and sacrifice? Do the people know that this money could have been given for improved healthcare? That would have heal and saved many Iraqis lives. Or the trial is to teach a democratic justice system? Ok we get the idea, now trim the fat.
Second, what is this? “Since the reconstruction effort began in 2003, midcourse changes by U.S. officials have shifted at least $2.5 billion from the rebuilding of Iraq's decrepit electrical, education, water, sewage, sanitation and oil networks to build new security forces for Iraq and to construct a nationwide system of medium- and maximum-security prisons and detention centers that meet international standards, according to reconstruction officials and documents.” (Washington Post)
Billion. McCoy said: "This was just supposed to be a jump-start." So what is the “jump start” point? The war caused more destruction on the Iraqi infrastructure from both the initial invasion and now the terrorists and insurgents. It is lower now compared to before the US went into Iraq.
Some of the US and coalition errors stem from not heeding the advise of experts, especially in regards to the 5 million dollar report developed before 2003 outlining how to proceed if the US went into Iraq…yes US citizens paid for this report that took 4 years to develop by Iraqi experts including many Iraqis themselves. People who know the culture, the interaction of the religions (and there are many Sunni/Shia intermarriages, do not let the media fool you) and the real situation on the ground and which, would have prevented some of the current problems. This huge, expensive report and recommendations were ignored and tossed to the side. Flush, 5 million dollars and now as a result… more money down the drain. This is a case of 10 steps back and only a couple steps forward. This was not the fault of the Iraqi people, why must they suffer? This is true abandonment of the Iraqi people.
Security, well, the US government was advised by many people, experts before 2003, the jihadists were waiting for you to go into Iraq, they will flood the borders. Really, it does not take an expert to realize this, they were advised.
Time to trim more fat. Time to begin the transition from military focused approach to conflict reconciliation and civil society redevelopment. If this had been priority in the very beginning and conducted with the understanding of the Iraqi and Islamic culture, many of problems we see today would not exist and others would be more manageable. Instead from the beginning it was a military focus climate without a well planned phase IV in place.
Here is an interesting Pearl of Iraq voice from the article, “The Americans, said Zaid Saleem, 26, who works at a market in Baghdad, "are the best in destroying things but they are the worst in rebuilding."
Time to trim the fat, I repeat. Do the American people know there are over 3,000 people working at the US Embassy in the Green Zone? With full salaries and extra benefits for a conflict area? Most do not even leave the zone, of course, because of security. Can some of these people be stateside? It is a small village there, isolated. Imagine the costs of operating such a village in a conflict zone, flying food, generators, security. Oh yes…that is up to Halliburton…hmmm.
Ironically, the Iraqi Embassy in Washington operates under a skeleton staff at a time when it is crucial to be developing embassy services and interaction… including renovations of a very beautiful but old historical building which needs major repairs. They need funds released to allow all of this to happen. Why are the funds still being held? I respect the Iraq Embassy very much for their patience and working hard with less…Bless them.
This war in Iraq could be compared to a car run over by a tank. The car may have been old but now it is totaled. The passengers are in critical care but the hospital staff decided to leave the operating room to go play golf. Or is it to gear up for another “accident” somewhere else?
I call on the US and all the countries, begin a transitional military pullout, gradual, but please, please, do not abandon the Iraqi people. Help them get to a functional state. Divert some of the current military/security funding BACK to reconstruction. Please, do not abandon the Iraqi people now.
Things are not looking good for Blue Pearl’s school and Water Pearl’s healthcare facility.
posted by Miriam | 1:03 PM
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