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Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1...

the first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty

over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.

nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.

the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.

on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts-exceeding the prewar average.

all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.

by October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools - 500 more than scheduled.

teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.

all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.

doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam.

pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.

the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations to
Iraq's children.

a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.

we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.

there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect 50,000 by
year-end.

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.

95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily.

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Explain exactly why, half a year later, we're still planning to install puppets and scoot before democracy can take root? Explan why we haven't taken out the imperial atavisms ruling Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the like, who are treated as US allies?

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Originally written by General Secretary Custer:

saying nothing of the priceless archaeological treasures that were lost after the fighting?)

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Originally written by Desert Plah:

I'd rather have us intervening in every civil war possible, Alec, than have us go isolationist like the 20's again.

But think of how many people would protest the mere idea of it. People marching down streets yelling that they don't want to be international policemen, (which is the UN's job).

Speaking of which, the UN ought to be playing a bigger part in intervening, shouldn't they? (And I haven't checked my facts on the UN, so I can't be sure how much they're actually doing.)

And besides, Alec, a dictator that pisses his own people off enough will get a civil war on his hands, causing even more bloodshed as Kurds, Sunnis, Baath members, and others fight for power.

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Originally written by Firedrake the Silent:

quote:Originally written by Desert Plah:
quote:
[QUOTE] Explain exactly why, half a year later, we're still planning to install puppets and scoot before democracy can take root? Explan why we haven't taken out the imperial atavisms ruling Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the like, who are treated as US allies?

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