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Title: Why Iraq is a Success
Source:
Townhall (formerly the publication of the Heritage Foundatio
URL Source: http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ ... 06/12/24/why_iraq_is_a_success
Published: Dec 24, 2006
Author: Kevin McCullough
Post Date: 2006-12-26 14:27:23 by SmokinOPs
Keywords: Iraq, land of milk and honey, better than Detroit
Views: 117
Comments: 6
The nation and economy known as the new Iraq is succeeding, and those who dispute this are simply lying. Call it whatever you'd like - a quagmire, a country torn by violence, the next Vietnam, etc. - but it is dishonest to say is that this nation is not a success. Government corruption, uncontrolled militias, and (as the drive-by media likes to remind us) daily attacks using improvised exploding devices - but it is not an economy going under. Take yourself back to the days following 9.11. Do you remember the near stand still our economy experienced? The airline industry down for days and the markets went into the tank. I can only surmise that similar bumps in our economic stability would be felt if we were seeing radicals crossing the borders from our neighbors (and who knows - they probably are), and decided once here they would blow up policemen, military check-points, and the passing civilians on a daily basis. Despite the violence the economic growth in Iraq is defying all expectations by nearly any observer. Want proof? The leading cell phone company Iraqna is set to take in nearly $520 million in revenues in 2006. That follows a record year in 2005 of $333 million. The leading export of Iraq is producing nearly $41 billion in revenues. In 2004 there were only 8,000 registered companies with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - today there are over 34,000. While we in the U.S. are thrilled to hear about GDP (gross domestic product) coming in at around 4% (so much so that it begins to bring down our national debt faster than expected), imagine enjoying Iraq's GDP growth of 13% in 2006. Which followed a record year in 2005 of 17%. Since 2003 the salaries of average Iraqis have risen in excess of 100%. In addition the Iraqi government has slashed the income tax rates from 45% to just around 15%. That has resulted in the average Iraqi family being able to develop long term nest-eggs (we call them IRAs). Gasoline is only .56 cents a gallon. It wouldn't be that high except that Iraq decided to payoff some of its debt to the World Bank and are using energy profits to do so. In addition much of the formerly centralized organization of the economy has been turned over to private sector endeavors and while some government sectors have seen a spike in unemployment, private sector unemployment is hovering around 30%. (High to you and me, but still better than in the Saddam era.) There will be many who will read this latest round of good news and dismiss it out of hand. But thinking people will understand that this growth did not happen in a vacuum. Are there still significant challenges before the Iraqis? Yes, and there will be for decades - but the violence so reported in the daily news grind does not begin to give one even a slight glimpse of the entire picture. The militias need to be disbanded. Iran needs to keeps it nose out of the Shia population, and the Saudis out of the Sunnis. But while these debates are occurring don't miss what's happening behind the scenes. Every single day 25 million Iraqis are going to jobs, coming home, paying bills, putting some into savings, educating their children - and living in freedom. Those who still disagree will argue that their freedom was not worth the cost in the numbers of lost American lives. And they do so dishonestly - knowing that we've lost fewer lives in the Global War on Terror than in any other armed conflict America has fought in (based on the numbers of American citizens and the percentage serving during war time). But some things are more valuable than life, and freedom is just such a treasure. Honorable people have always recognized this, and in turn expressed tremendous gratitude for the sacrifice made. Dishonorable people have always preferred tyranny to freedom, and the most dishonorable believe in freedom only for themselves. The Global War on Terror has been and will continue to be a tough, log slog, in Iraq the news has not been the best in recent months. Yet there is good news, and it deserves to be noted. Iraq will succeed. The terrorists will fail. And the longer the arm of freedom can reach, the more both statements will be proven true. And in an economic sense - we need no greater proof.
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#1. To: All (#0)
(Edited)
Ah, Iraqna. Set up by a an Iraqi ex-pat (Nadhmi Auchi) in Britain who got a two year sentence for Europe's largest post-WWII fraud. I wonder how many of those revenues are from legit contracts and not just a laundering scheme to funnel money to cronies. The leading export of Iraq is producing nearly $41 billion in revenues. For whom? Where is the money going? While we in the U.S. are thrilled to hear about GDP (gross domestic product) coming in at around 4% (so much so that it begins to bring down our national debt faster than expected), imagine enjoying Iraq's GDP growth of 13% in 2006. Probably using the same BS methodology to figure inflation as DC does. Gasoline is only .56 cents a gallon. Subsidized by American taxpayers. Since 2003 the salaries of average Iraqis have risen in excess of 100%. Near hyperinflation levels. How nice. In addition the Iraqi government has slashed the income tax rates from 45% to just around 15%. That has resulted in the average Iraqi family being able to develop long term nest-eggs (we call them IRAs). Ok, this line just wants to make me barf. In addition much of the formerly centralized organization of the economy has been turned over to private sector endeavors... I'm sure all of it free-market and on the up and up. ...and while some government sectors have seen a spike in unemployment, private sector unemployment is hovering around 30%. (High to you and me, but still better than in the Saddam era.) Oooh, a hyperinflationary depression. Wonderful. And would that be the UN sanctions that killed a half-million children Saddam era? And does that unemployment rate count the nearly 2 million Iraqis who have fled the country and now live as refugees? I doubt it. There will be many who will read this latest round of good news and dismiss it out of hand. Hmmm, maybe because it's bullshit from top to bottom? That's my reason for dismissing it. And in an economic sense - we need no greater proof. Go eff yourself.
This article is an exercise in absolute bullshit on every single level. Cellphones? Uh yeah- cause the land lines don't work anymore asshole. Gasoline is .56 cents a gallon? If you can find it. It takes hours to get your tank filled in Iraq. This is what BOTS delude themselves with? I could go on- but frankly this shit is so preposterous that as an adult I would be wasting my time.
This guy is effing beyond insane. Freedom? One million Iraqis (at least) are now langaushing in Lebanon and Syria as refugees. Millions are afraid to leave their homes. The "economy" is non existent. This guy is living in la la land. You know- at this late date- for people to be writing shit like this is simply astounding. They have no concept of reality.
Read between the lines. Cellphones were one of the most powerful communication tools used by the KLA in Kosovo (Used to Call in NATO airstrikes) and the Chechnyas in Chechnya (They had better comms than the Russkies did up until Putil cleaned house in the Russian Army). Also, those IEDs don't blow up by themselves. Cellphones, after a bit of tinkering, make for exellent long range bomb detonators. Reach out and "touch" someone indeed. The author should look at just who is buying all those cellphones. Our own government freaked out when some "swarthy" guys bought bulk cell phones at Wal-Mart; yet in Iraq this is a good thing. I wonder how many of those new phones end up with the ringer hooked to a blasting cap shoved inside a dud artillary round sitting next to the road.
"The more I see of life, the less I fear death" - Me.
"Call it whatever you like" ... Okay, Israeli PM Olmert recently called the Iraq War a boon to Israel's security on November 22: "Iraq war was good for Israel: Olmert" By Dan Williams Wed Nov 22, 3:16 PM ET JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Iraq war was a boon for Israel's security, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday, voicing fresh endorsement for a Bush administration sapped by the unpopularity at home of its Middle East policies... See ye wardoubter cynics, there's lotsa people calling the Iraq War a success - 6 million Israelis, for example.
Yes. I want proof of the Chem-Bio-Nuke programs Iraq was running and I want proof that he was going to supply it to those that would harm the united states. Hell, I want proof Iraq suppored terrorism at all. That little pittance he gave to west bank and Gaza suicide bombers is nothing compared to the cash Saudi Araba (Our glorious ally, BTW) sents to Islamic nuts the world over. The Iraq invasion will go down in History along with Hitler's invasion of Russia he launched a war against an ideal (communism) and ended up giving Moscow what it was too weak to take by force; RE: Poland, Hungary, Romania, all the other sovern nations that ended up being ass puppets of Moscow for 50 years. Dubya did what the Islamic hardliners could not; topple Saddam and is secular state. GO USA! Remember, Iraqi ladies, that acid being thrown in your face because you dared go out in public without a male escort is the feeling of FREEDOM! Real Islamic hardliners go to bed each night and thank Allah for Dubya being in office.
"The more I see of life, the less I fear death" - Me.
The leading cell phone company Iraqna is set to take in nearly $520 million in revenues in 2006.
#2. To: SmokinOPs (#1)
#3. To: SmokinOPs (#0)
Every single day 25 million Iraqis are going to jobs, coming home, paying bills, putting some into savings, educating their children - and living in freedom.
#4. To: Burkeman1 (#2)
This article is an exercise in absolute bullshit on every single level. Cellphones?
#5. To: SmokinOPs (#0)
Call it whatever you'd like - a quagmire, a country torn by violence, the next Vietnam, etc. - but it is dishonest to say is that this nation is not a success.
#6. To: SmokinOPs (#0)
Want proof?
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