"Water/Electricity/Gas" shortages. The amount of electricity and refined pretroleum products and electricity is the same as in Saddams times.My point is, I don't think the media is allowing the whole truth to filter through about much of anything in Iraq....it is my opinion that they are intentionally cutting their interviews/tapes, etc., that have good news/good reports about and from Iraqis. (I know for a fact the MSM just did this the other night regarding the capture of 7 or 8 terrorists... Fox played and replayed the drone following the terrorists who attacked a polling station and were captured within 2 hours....CNN, NBC intentinally cut that part out from their news.)The thugs blowing things up has slowed efforts to expand water/electricity/fuel capacity.
It has not slowed the Iraqi people from importing cars, microwaves, TVs, computers and washing machines. posted by "Soldier's Dad" on 1/22/05
The MSM doesn't want Americans to hear any good news or give America credit about the inner workings of Iraqi civilian life (whether they are living substantially the same or better than before, i.e., electricity) much less to hear that the Iraqi people may well be giving credit and thanks to the U.S. and coalition forces for freeing them from Saddam....probably not every single Iraqi is giving due credit and thanks, but I can't believe that very few are as is being portrayed by the media.
Allegra is in Iraq. I don't know how often she mingles with the Iraqi people....but perhaps she can better address this situation. If so, I'd be interested in her thoughts. Thanks in advance, Allegra.
Allegra is in Iraq. I don't know how often she mingles with the Iraqi people....but perhaps she can better address this situation. If so, I'd be interested in her thoughts. Thanks in advance, Allegra.
Oh, this has been my favorite soapbox topic for the last year. I've posted about this on here before and I regaled people with the truth in response to their questions when I was on home leave last month.
The media has blatantly ignored positive developments in Iraq. They have distorted much of what really happens here. They focus on the violence and the gloom and doom.
There are parts of this country who had never had clean water to drink and had a high rate of disease, infant death, etc. Water purification plants have been built in many of these towns and villages and people now have clean water. Electricity has been restored to prewar levels; in fact there is even higher output overall now. I've flown in helicopters over downtown Baghdad several times and the place is lit up like freakin' Vegas. Ever hear about these things in the MSM?
I do interact with many Iraqis on a regular basis as part of my job. The Iraqis I have gotten to know and those I see portrayed in the media are as different as night and day. The reporters will talk to 1,000 Iraqis if they have to in order to find the one who hates the U.S. That's the guy they put on TV. The ones I know love the U.S. and are so grateful that Saddam is gone. They gush about President "Boosh." They see him as their liberator.
Yes, they are importing all kinds of things in here now. New cars were not allowed under Saddam. You see all kinds of new cars now that come in from Jordan and Kuwait. They are able to import a wide variety of modern equipment and they sell a lot of this to us for our projects here. We are doing as much as we can from our end to stimulate their economy and it's beginning to show signs of life.
Yes, the terrorists slow progress. Definitely. The blow up oil pipelines, construction areas and power generation plants and they they attack supply convoys. But Americans and Iraqis fix it go on.
There is an incredible amount of positive progress here that never sees the light of day in the news. The soldiers in the chow halls have gotten angry at CNN, et al, shouting "Turn that crap OFF!" at the distorted reporting. (Our chow hall shows only Sky News and ESPN now and it has calmed everyone's nerves...LOL)
I will keep doing what I can to ge the positive news out and I'm sure the bloggers will continue in their efforts as well.
Hope this helped!