What's going down around town in Iraq

This is a decent shot at what's really going down in Iraq outside of the insurrections and potshots at US military finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The infrastructure is hardly better, parts of it clearly destroyed beyond repair.

There is infighting between locals wanting a go at managing the rebuilding. And restrictions on the safe movement of officials in the temporary admin.

It's a very good read, free of anti-American bias and sensationalism. But little optimism.


www.guardian.co.uk...

Even the optimists are losing heart as Iraq goes from bad to worse

Rory McCarthy returns to Baghdad after two months to find electricity and water still in short supply, aid workers leaving, and insecurity growing

Wednesday August 27, 2003
The Guardian

It was late June and the searing heat of summer was taking hold when finally, after weeks of searching, I found what I had been looking for. Over several days I met a group of extraordinary young Iraqis who - without anger, fear or hatred - were beginning to shape the outlines of a bright future for their country.....

Thanks Mr Bush.

Empty promised, new message: US is never to be trusted. Americans shall become more insular. Travel by Americans shall decrease.

Iraqis hoping that since Saddam was gone, everything might actually improve. Now they know. Hungry, fearful, with no protection of thier own. Thier country getting drained. Basically alot of people abandoning Iraq, when we need to not abandon it. Paul Bremer, a liar, a cheat, a fraud. In control. A civilian in control of an occupupation? of course the Iraqis are pissed.

If we get a new president, will he continue to break promises to the Iraqis? Will the Iraqis soon learn that no American regime is to be trusted? Will the descend into chaos, the only things left to guard being the oil pipelines to the west? And thus, Iraq become a new breeding groud for new terrorists?

Great article, we need more like that. I read that the US forces really only ruled their own bases. The truth is that they do, that they are on enemy territory when they step out of the gates.

the Guardian in the UK leans a little left, don't they?

I heard a nice bit on NPR about some towns in the south. US Soldiers don't wear their helmets or flak jackets. Iraqi children were on the air saying 'US good / Saddam donkey"

They also spoke of a US soldiers that is on an Iraqi TV show that is some what of a celeberity.

Not to mention the kurdish areas in the north that are doing well.

And, really, how long exactly has it been since Saddam was ousted? Does ANYONE have any patience?