Brookings Institute creates Iraqi Index

[Julien Sorel]

The Iraq Index is a statistical compilation of economic and security data. The resource will provide updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength.

The index is designed to quantify the rebuilding efforts and offer an objective set of criteria for benchmarking performance. It is the first in-depth, non-partisan assessment of American efforts in Iraq, and is based primarily on U.S. government information. Although measurements of progress in any nation-building effort can never be reduced to purely quantitative data, a comprehensive compilation of such information can provide a clearer picture and contribute to a healthier and better informed debate.

http://www.brookings.edu/iraqindex

And here are the data in tabular form:

http://www.brookings.edu/dybdocroot/views/op-ed/ohanlon/20031114.pdf


Things are getting better from the standpoint of infrastructure rebuilding. In fact, ignoring violent crime and the guerilla war, things are almost as good as they were before the invasion: nothing like starting from a low base to create the illusion of achievement, as we will soon see with the economy.

[Maple]

1. Yes

"ignoring violent crime and the guerilla war" everything is just peachy keen.