Truth about Iraqi Reconstruction Progam Failure

Did you guys ever wonder why, unlike post-Germany and Japan where the Marshal Plan built those countries up so they later became gold mines, that Iraq was never rebuilt? Remember when the US administration said that French and Russian firms could not do business in Iraq, even though they were the ones that essentially built the country's infrastructure?

Economic news is always boring compared to beheadings and Britney Spear's marriage, but here's a great article on WTF happened:

www.commondreams.org...

Here's an excerpt:

With unemployment as high as 67 percent, the imported products and foreign workers flooding across the borders have become a source of tremendous resentment in Iraq and yet another open tap fueling the insurgency. And Iraqis don�t have to look far for reminders of this injustice; it�s on display in the most ubiquitous symbol of the occupation: the blast wall. The ten-foot-high slabs of reinforced concrete are everywhere in Iraq, separating the protected�the people in upscale hotels, luxury homes, military bases, and, of course, the Green Zone�from the unprotected and exposed. If that wasn�t injury enough, all the blast walls are imported, from Kurdistan, Turkey, or even farther afield, this despite the fact that Iraq was once a major manufacturer of cement, and could easily be again. There are seventeen state-owned cement factories across the country, but most are idle or working at only half capacity. According to the Ministry of Industry, not one of these factories has received a single contract to help with the reconstruction, even though they could produce the walls and meet other needs for cement at a greatly reduced cost.

[edit on 24-9-2004 by taibunsuu]

there delaying the reconstruction as much as possible, aside from that iraqis keep blowing up what has been built slowly.

in bush's perspective y build it so fast when there cashing in?

Originally posted by Zach
there delaying the reconstruction as much as possible, aside from that iraqis keep blowing up what has been built slowly.

in bush's perspective y build it so fast when there cashing in?

I'm not sure what you just wrote, but there will be no reconstruction. That window has passed. The country is essentially in a Civil War, the winners are yet to be determined.

See where it's written: 67% unemployment? Who do you think cashes in on that manpower? Anti-US leaders, that's who. There is no economy in that country except for efforts to get the oil out, which are delayed every day by non-stop sabotage and attack.

The reality is that it's hard to rebuild when 1/2 of what you rebuild in a day is blown up by some jihadi the next. Their mindset is that if they can deter progress enough, it will foment bad feelings toward the coalition.

I.E. "Dammit, why don't I have electricity yet? Those coalition people must just be doing this to make me bake in this miserable heat." When the reality is that the coalition has already rebuilt the transformer 5 times, but your neighbor down the street keeps throwing grenades at it.

Sad to say, this strategy has indeed worked, in many cases. After so long, the man complaining about the heat ends up being the one throwing the grenades.

The only reconstruction that is receiving full attention and full security is the oil pipes and the oil fields, when an oil pipe line gets blown up they get full attention, when Iraqis get blown up the don't even care to find who did it.

No that they are going to find them, is no protection for the people the innocent caught up in the middle.

I wouldn't say the country is in a state of civil war yet by any means. the situation is getting worse by the day and could end up there but right now the general population seems to be adopting a wait and see attitude because the insurgents are mainly targeting foreigners and coalition troops for the time being.

I think any true civil war will occur after the elections. If a power comes in that ruffles the feathers of a major group in Iraq then it could happen. Right now I would classify the situation as an open revolt by a signifigant portion of the country's minor cities.

[edit on 083030p://555 by Weller]

IMO

its like trying to build a log cabin on water. in theory it works because wood floats. as soon you build and see there is no base it will slowly start to sink. sorry thats the best analagy i could come up with.

or its like trying to liberate a country who does not need liberation, apoint a robot government, dictate when and where any "official" policy making takes place, and try to prop up an infrastucture for people who completely despise you.

they simply can not relate to our way of busniess. they have a different way of doing things, and their peers all presure them to conform to islam way. if you join the infidels you must also be an infidel is their mindset. i can only see it getting more and more ugly as time goes on.

Originally posted by sturod84
IMO

its like trying to build a log cabin on water. sorry thats the best analagy i could come up with.

Actually, its one of the best I've read to describe the situation.