Good News from the Front...
Ok, I found this, and it was the kind of quantitative information I have been looking for about Iraq. You hear snippets in the news from individual soldiers about all the things we are doing RIGHT over there, but mostly we hear only about bad situations. I think it is important to understand that even though war is a terrible thing, sometimes a little upheaval is good for the system. Positive things can come about, but not until people are willing to step up to the plate and fight for it.
Below is an article on a website I check out on occasion, TruthOrFiction.com. This site looks at most of the e-mail rumors that float around and does it's best to track down the real story. We all know that CNN, FoxNews and all the others won't bother. Enjoy, and I hope it puts a smile on your face.
-----------------------------www.truthorfiction.com--------------------------------
Most of this is taken from a news conference on October 9, 2003, by Paul Bremer, the Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator. The press conference marked six months since the operation began. Another version has a much longer list of accomplishments in Iraq but with no particular source for them.
Since May 1
By Charles Mitchell
The next time you hear a network news story, or read a newspaper, keep these facts in mind and ask, why isn't this being reported? Below is the list that NEVER makes the Media Moguls' "news" headlines. They just keep printing the explosions, shootings, deaths and failures. Have faith!
"Since May 1..."
Since May 1...the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty*
Since May 1... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
Since May 1...nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
Since May 1... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
Since May 1...on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the pre-war average.
Since May 1...all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
Since May 1... as of October 1, Coalition forces had rehabbed over 1,500 schools - 500 more than their target.
Since May 1... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
Since May 1...all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
Since May 1...doctors' salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
Since May 1...pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
Since May 1...the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations doses to Iraq's children.
Since May 1...a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals. They now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.
Since May 1...we have restored over three-quarters of pre-war telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.
Since May 1... there are 4,900 full-service connections. We expect 50,000 by January first.
Since May 1...the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns.
Since May 1...95 percent of all pre-war bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily.
Since May 1... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
Since May 1...the central bank is fully independent.
Since May 1... Iraq has some of the world's most growth-oriented investment and banking laws.
Since May 1... Iraq (has) a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years
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I hope you found this as interesting and enlightening as I did. Think about how upset you would be if you had put up with all the things that have been fixed in the past year over there. We COUNT on electricity, water, phone, banks and hospitals, and we get very angry when the power or water is out for a brief time, such as 5 minutes. Some countries in the Caribbean actually know that they will lose 2 random hours of power almost every day. I guess it would make you more eager to hit that save button on a regular basis. Thoughts to ponder on a slow Wednesday. Talk to you soon! :)
Below is an article on a website I check out on occasion, TruthOrFiction.com. This site looks at most of the e-mail rumors that float around and does it's best to track down the real story. We all know that CNN, FoxNews and all the others won't bother. Enjoy, and I hope it puts a smile on your face.
-----------------------------www.truthorfiction.com--------------------------------
Most of this is taken from a news conference on October 9, 2003, by Paul Bremer, the Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator. The press conference marked six months since the operation began. Another version has a much longer list of accomplishments in Iraq but with no particular source for them.
Since May 1
By Charles Mitchell
The next time you hear a network news story, or read a newspaper, keep these facts in mind and ask, why isn't this being reported? Below is the list that NEVER makes the Media Moguls' "news" headlines. They just keep printing the explosions, shootings, deaths and failures. Have faith!
"Since May 1..."
Since May 1...the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty*
Since May 1... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.
Since May 1...nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.
Since May 1... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
Since May 1...on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the pre-war average.
Since May 1...all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
Since May 1... as of October 1, Coalition forces had rehabbed over 1,500 schools - 500 more than their target.
Since May 1... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
Since May 1...all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
Since May 1...doctors' salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.
Since May 1...pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
Since May 1...the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations doses to Iraq's children.
Since May 1...a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals. They now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.
Since May 1...we have restored over three-quarters of pre-war telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.
Since May 1... there are 4,900 full-service connections. We expect 50,000 by January first.
Since May 1...the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns.
Since May 1...95 percent of all pre-war bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily.
Since May 1... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
Since May 1...the central bank is fully independent.
Since May 1... Iraq has some of the world's most growth-oriented investment and banking laws.
Since May 1... Iraq (has) a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you found this as interesting and enlightening as I did. Think about how upset you would be if you had put up with all the things that have been fixed in the past year over there. We COUNT on electricity, water, phone, banks and hospitals, and we get very angry when the power or water is out for a brief time, such as 5 minutes. Some countries in the Caribbean actually know that they will lose 2 random hours of power almost every day. I guess it would make you more eager to hit that save button on a regular basis. Thoughts to ponder on a slow Wednesday. Talk to you soon! :)