The News From Iraq Isn't All Bad
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Before the war in Iraq started, I suggested that W shouldn't go to war without the support of the U.N.
When he decided to go to war without U.N. support, I wasn't really all that enthusiastic about it, but I supported the decision and the troops.
Since then, I have been critical from time to time of some of W's policy, including spending, and what appears to be hawkish foreign policy.
Media reports in general seem to be quite negative when it comes to the war in Iraq.
I realize that when something blows up in Iraq, it is news. There is no question about that.
But there are positive things going on in Iraq, too, and I think those stories are being underreported by the mainstream media.
To that end, what follows is a message allegedly sent by Lt. Col. Scott Seitz, a commander in Iraq, to his troops. He was attempting to show his troops that they should be proud of what they have accomplished in Iraq.
The thing is being circulated on the Internet. Of course, one must always take with a grain of salt what one finds on the Internet.
It is very difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to verify information.
Nonetheless, whether what this commander wrote is exactly accurate isn't really the point of the exercise. The point is that there really are some good things happening in Iraq whether you agree with W's policies or not. And further, for whatever reason, we really don't hear about them.
Here - in part - is what Seitz wrote:
As we approach the end of the year, I think it is important to share a few thoughts about what you've accomplished directly, in some cases, and indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush Administration and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the fact that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the nation to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read about these achievements you are a part of, I would call your attention to two things:
1. This is good news that hasn't been fit to print or report on TV.
2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes the tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1:
... the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty.
... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
... nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
... on Monday, October 6, power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the prewar average.
... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehabilitated more than 1,500 schools-500 more than scheduled.
... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
... all 240 hospitals and more than 1,200 clinics are open.
... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to Iraq's children.
... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.
... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.
... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns.
... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily.
... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
... the central bank is fully independent.
... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.
... satellite TV dishes are legal.
... there are more than 170 newspapers.
... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.
... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or executive - of a representative government, now does.
... in Baghdad alone, residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman.
... today in Iraq, chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.
... the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July, the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world.
... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.
... children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government.
... political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.
... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.
... Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.
... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian - a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and for peace.
... Saddam is gone.
... Iraq is free.
... President Bush has not faltered or failed.
The Lt. Col. goes on to note that Iraq, under U.S.-led control has come further in 6 months than Germany did in seven years or Japan did in nine years after World War II.
And, he asks, "Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our brothers and sisters in the conflict, do you think anyone else in the world could have accomplished as much as the U.S. in so short a period of time?"
I guess I would have to answer no. [[In-content Ad]]
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Before the war in Iraq started, I suggested that W shouldn't go to war without the support of the U.N.
When he decided to go to war without U.N. support, I wasn't really all that enthusiastic about it, but I supported the decision and the troops.
Since then, I have been critical from time to time of some of W's policy, including spending, and what appears to be hawkish foreign policy.
Media reports in general seem to be quite negative when it comes to the war in Iraq.
I realize that when something blows up in Iraq, it is news. There is no question about that.
But there are positive things going on in Iraq, too, and I think those stories are being underreported by the mainstream media.
To that end, what follows is a message allegedly sent by Lt. Col. Scott Seitz, a commander in Iraq, to his troops. He was attempting to show his troops that they should be proud of what they have accomplished in Iraq.
The thing is being circulated on the Internet. Of course, one must always take with a grain of salt what one finds on the Internet.
It is very difficult, if not impossible sometimes, to verify information.
Nonetheless, whether what this commander wrote is exactly accurate isn't really the point of the exercise. The point is that there really are some good things happening in Iraq whether you agree with W's policies or not. And further, for whatever reason, we really don't hear about them.
Here - in part - is what Seitz wrote:
As we approach the end of the year, I think it is important to share a few thoughts about what you've accomplished directly, in some cases, and indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush Administration and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the fact that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the nation to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read about these achievements you are a part of, I would call your attention to two things:
1. This is good news that hasn't been fit to print or report on TV.
2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes the tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1:
... the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty.
... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
... nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
... on Monday, October 6, power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the prewar average.
... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehabilitated more than 1,500 schools-500 more than scheduled.
... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
... all 240 hospitals and more than 1,200 clinics are open.
... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to Iraq's children.
... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.
... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.
... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns.
... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily.
... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
... the central bank is fully independent.
... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.
... satellite TV dishes are legal.
... there are more than 170 newspapers.
... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.
... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or executive - of a representative government, now does.
... in Baghdad alone, residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman.
... today in Iraq, chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.
... the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July, the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world.
... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.
... children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government.
... political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.
... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.
... Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.
... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian - a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and for peace.
... Saddam is gone.
... Iraq is free.
... President Bush has not faltered or failed.
The Lt. Col. goes on to note that Iraq, under U.S.-led control has come further in 6 months than Germany did in seven years or Japan did in nine years after World War II.
And, he asks, "Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our brothers and sisters in the conflict, do you think anyone else in the world could have accomplished as much as the U.S. in so short a period of time?"
I guess I would have to answer no. [[In-content Ad]]