U.S. plans to open Saddam's palaces

Washington Times ^ | 4/21/03 | Paul Martin

[kattracks]

BAGHDAD

[Ronin]

Can someone explain what the hangup with getting the power back on is?

Did the Iraqis sabotage the switchboards? OK, it's far beyond what I could do, but we have electrical engineers in every major city of the world. Someone should be able to figure how to get the lights back on.

[fleur-de-lis]

This is just speculation, but I would not assume that their power grid was ever up to western standards of reliability. Therefore a small amount of damage could have gone a long way to create havoc. Also, we now have western engineers, accustomed to western safety standards, working on what is surely a mess. All told, a formula for big delays.

[fleur-de-lis]

P.S. Imagine the press screaming how incompetent we are if there was a rush to turn on the power causing gas explosions, major fires, and more dead citizens.

[Drammach]

Just tell the Iraqis, If they're in such a big hurry for water and power, either get off their butts and fix it themselves, or find the people responsible for running the systems, and drag their butts down to the facilities and make them fix something up.

Christ, what are we creating over there, another damn welfare state?