> The country didn't need rebuilding until the US and Allies destroyed it. > So is it a reasonable and rational thing to support destroying a country > then spending 222b dollars a year to rebuild it (Let's assume it was ALL > spent on infrastructure and rebuilding) ? > > Actually, it did - the actions of Hussein (invading a neighboring country) led to the first UN authorized invasion and the sanctions after the cease-fire had a negative impact to the country. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investment_in_post-invasion_Iraq
"For example, UNICEF estimates that before 1991, 95% of urban dwellers and 75% of rural dwellers were served by modern water supply systems that delivered treated water to homes and businesses. By 1999, urban coverage had dropped to 92% and rural coverage to 46%. Individual water availability showed greater changes. Between 1990 and 2000, the daily per capita share of potable water went from 330 litres to 150 litres in Baghdad, 270 to 110 in other urban areas, and 180 to 65 in rural areas.[2]" After the 14 UN resolutions that Hussein sneered at and the US went in again in 2003 (next paragraph) "The March 2003 invasion of Iraq produced further degradation of Iraqs water supply, sewerage and electrical supply systems. Treatment plants, pumping stations and generating stations were stripped of their equipment, supplies and electrical wiring by looters. The once-capable cadre of engineers and operating technicians were scattered or left the country. Reconstruction efforts faced a nation with a severely degraded infrastructure." Are you going to tell people that don't have water that it costs too much to fix? Children that it's okay if they don't have a school to attend? Religious groups that they can't have a place to worship? Face it, much of the expenditure was made on humanitarian programs. That goes a long, long way in winning the hearts and minds of the people in that country. Hatton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:361874 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
