> 'They hate our policies, not our freedom' <
They probably hate us destroying their cities too.
nytimes.com
The full extent of the damage inflicted by American bombs, tanks and artillery is only now becoming apparent. The number of buildings destroyed in the fighting is far higher than 200, the figure released last week by the Iraqi prime minister, Ayad Allawi, engineers and commanders say. The city's power lines are so badly damaged that in most of the city, they will have to be ripped out and rebuilt from scratch - a project that will take six months to a year, American engineers say. Damage to the city's water and sewer pipes, already badly corroded before the invasion, is milder but will also take months to repair.
But its to be a grand experiment. Lets blow it up real good and start over! Work for the locals, and our favorite US contractors too.
In short, the Marines envision a huge effort of social and physical engineering, all intended to transform a bastion of militant anti-Americanism into a benevolent and functional metropolis.
But will it work?
"The best place to bring a model town into place is Falluja," Colonel Ballard said. But if similar rebuilding efforts in Najaf and elsewhere are any guide, the project under way here - far more ambitious than anything yet tried in this country - will be more expensive and time-consuming than its planners think.
Reconstruction projects undertaken in Najaf since the fighting there in August, for instance, have been plagued by corruption, overpayment and shoddy work, relief officials said.
Not if the "insurgents" have anything to say about it.
To prevent looting, the head of every household will be asked to wear an identification badge
Hmmn... that sounds like arm bands on... no, it couldn't be.
No cars will be allowed in the city at first, to prevent car bombs. Instead, a bus system will provide free transportation.
Well that will work, until the first "martyr" hops on board a bus and blows himself up.
Already, American civil affairs teams have begun making condolence payments to residents who were injured or had their houses destroyed in the attack, up to a maximum of $2,500 per person. The interim Iraqi government has also promised $100 to each returning family.
For I don't care too much for money,
For money can't buy love.
Can't buy me love, ev'rybody tells me so,
Can't buy me love, no, no, no, no.
Can't buy me love, love,
Can't buy me love. |
