U.S. Fears Iraq Won't Keep Up Rebuilt Projects

Nov 21, 2009 - BAGHDAD — In its largest reconstruction effort since the Marshall Plan, the United States government has spent $53 billion for relief and reconstruction in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, building tens of thousands of hospitals, water treatment plants, electricity substations, schools and bridges. But there are growing concerns among American officials that Iraq will not be able to adequately maintain the facilities once the Americans have left, potentially wasting hundreds of millions of dollars and jeopardizing Iraq’s ability to provide basic services to its people. The projects run the gamut — from a cutting-edge, $270 million water treatment plant in Nasiriya that works at a fraction of its intended capacity because it is too sophisticated for Iraqi workers to operate, to a farmers’ market that farmers cannot decide how to share, to a large American hospital closed immediately after it was handed over to Iraq because the government was unable to supply it with equipment, a medical staff or electricity. - 5 Comments

Value in Death: Soldiers pay the price daily.

Jul 08, 2009 - This is a re-post of my original article with a few modification...you may find the original in my forum: Stand Up 4 Veterans Yesterday our country spend a lot of time and effort mourning the life of a celebrity...a celebrity which the media constantly changed its view...seeing him as much a villain as a philanthropist and entertainer. Because of the tremendous focus on this individual a controversy arose--comparing the price of this person's life to that of a soldier. This is my reply to such thoughts... - 0 Comments