Riverbend has an interesting post today on Iraqi reconstruction after

[milkyway]

the first Gulf War:


For 42 days, Baghdad and other cities and towns were bombarded with nearly 140,000 tons of explosives, by international estimates. The bombing was relentless- schools, housing complexes, factories, bridges, electric power stations, ministries, sewage facilities, oil refineries, operators, and even bomb shelters (including the only baby formula factory in Iraq and the infamous Amirya Shelter bombing where almost 400 civilians were killed).

<snip>

The task was a daunting one because so many of Iraq’s major infrastructure projects and buildings had been designed and built by foreign contractors from all over the world including French, German, Chinese and Japanese companies. The foreign expertise was unavailable after 1991 due to the war and embargo and Iraqi engineers and technicians found themselves facing the devastation of the Gulf War all alone with limited supplies.

Two years and approximately 8 billion Iraqi dinars later, nearly 90% of the damage had been repaired. It took an estimated 6,000 engineers (all Iraqi), 42,000 technicians, and 12,000 administrators, but bridges were soon up again, telephones were more or less functioning in most areas, refineries were working, water was running and electricity wasn’t back 100%, but it was certainly better than it is today. Within the first two years over 100 small and large bridges had been reconstructed, 16 refineries, over 50 factories and industrial compounds, etc.

<snip>

Now, nearly three years after this war (the current war), the buildings are still piles of debris. Electricity is terrible. Water is cut off for days at a time. Telephone lines come and go. Oil production isn’t even at pre-war levels… and Iraqis hear about the billions upon billions that come and go. A billion here for security… Five hundred million there for the infrastructure… Millions for voting… Iraq falling into deeper debt… Engineers without jobs simply because they are not a part of this political party or that religious group… And the country still in shambles.

more, including photos:
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

[FloridaPat]

1. Definately war criminals sitting in Washington. And I would like to

include any congress critter that keeps funding this disaster and thinks we should be there until we "fix" it.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. ...

[ConsAreLiars]

5. K&R for the truth told by Riverbend and for that image.

No Justice, No Peace.

[enigma000]

3. well there is this low key civil war going on n/t

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. kick for Riverbend

[ngGale]

6. Kick....n/t

[ClayZ]

7. Kick and Recommend!

:kick:

[elehhhhna]

8. tell it, Riverbend. Our counrty is almost in shambles , too.