Achievements

[Atom]

This was written by a Battalion Commander currently stationed in Iraq at the start of the Holiday Season.

As we approach the end of the year I think it is important to share a few thoughts about what you've accomplished directly, in some cases, and indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush Administration and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the fact that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the nation to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read about these achievements you are a part of I would call your attention to two things:

1. This is good news that hasn't been fit to print or report on TV.

2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he makes the tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued. 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.

... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.

... the central bank is fully independent.

... Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and banking laws.

... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.

... satellite TV dishes are legal.

... foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other government spies.

... there is no Ministry of Information.

... there are more than 170 newspapers.

... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.

... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.

... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial or executive - of a representative government, now does.

... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman.

... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.

... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.

... the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world.

... Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren't.

... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.

... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.

... Uday and Queasy are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to the zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force cooperation, torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, or murdering critics.

... children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government.

... political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.

... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror.

... Saudis will hold municipal elections.

... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.

... Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.

... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian-a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and for peace.

... Saddam is gone.

... Iraq is free.

... President Bush has not faltered or failed.

... Yet, little or none of this information has been published by the Press corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that's important.

Iraq under US lead control has come further in six months than Germany did

in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military deaths

from fanatic Nazi's, and Japanese numbered in the thousands and continued for over three years after WWII victory was declared.

It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris, let alone attempt to build something else in its place.

Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every aspect of his handling of this country's war and the post-war reconstruction; and that they continue to claim on a daily basis on

national TV that this conflict has been a failure.

Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our brothers and sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in the world could have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush administration in so short a period of time?

These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to someone you think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to tell the story.

Above all, be proud that you are a part of this historical precedent.

God Bless you all. Have a great Holiday.

[El Bourricot]

... there is no Ministry of Information.

shame cos the minister was cool. :p

I'm not genna post an intelligent comment before i hear what other people have to say.

[John S. Veteran]

I can't wait for the scores of books that will be coming from Veterans about all the media has failed to report. This is illustrative of what's not being told.

[Aaron Veteran]

That is just awesome. Do you have the original source for this? I would really like to see how this can be spun negatively...

[Fotix]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/combatend.asp

Looks like a good deal originates from here.

[John S. Veteran]

This is apparently an Internet hoax that is an embellished speech of Progress in Iraq from October 9, 2003:

Snopes.com

The original, while still impressive none-the-less:

Source   Bremer Cites Progress as Baghdad Marks 6 Months of Liberation

Most, but not all that has happened since then is good, he says

Six months to the day after U.S. forces liberated Baghdad, more than 13,000 reconstruction projects "large and small" have been completed, according to Ambassador Paul Bremer.

At a Baghdad press conference October 9, Bremer, the administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), said "[m]ost, but not all, of what has happened since then is good." He focused on the four elements of the coalition's strategic plan for Iraq, citing examples of progress for each. The four elements are security, restoring essential services, and economic and democratic transformation.

Six months ago, Bremer noted, there were no police on duty in Iraq. Now there are more than 40,000 on duty, with almost 7,000 in Baghdad alone, he said. The first battalion of the new Iraqi army has graduated and is on active duty, part of 60,000 Iraqis providing security, he said.

Electrical power generation was 300 megawatts in April, but on October 6 Iraq generated 4,518 megawatts of electricity, Bremer said. Also, all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open now; six months ago nearly all were closed, he said.

Economically, Iraq's "economy was flat on its back" in April, Bremer said, and all banks were closed. Now Iraqi banks are open and loaning funds, the central bank is fully independent and "one of the world's most growth-oriented investment and banking laws" is in effect, he said.

As for democracy, there is no longer a Ministry of Information serving as a check on free expression, more than 170 newspapers are being published, and journalists and average citizens are free to travel, Bremer said. In Baghdad alone, he added, there are 88 advisory councils, all elected by local residents.

Following is the transcript of Bremer's remarks:

(begin unofficial transcript)

Ambassador L. Paul Bremer

Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator

Opening Remarks at Press Conference

9 October 2003

Six months ago today Coalition Forces liberated Baghdad. I am sure that many of you were as thrilled as I was to see Saddam's statue and his regime fall.

Most, but not all, of what has happened since then is good.

The Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of our strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq. That plan has four elements:

-- Create a Secure Environment.

-- Begin Restoration of Essential Services.

-- Begin to Transform the Economy.

-- Begin the Transformation to Democracy.

Before taking your questions I would like to review briefly some of the progress in each of these areas.

CREATE A SECURE ENVIRONMENT.

Six months ago there were no police on duty in Iraq.

-- Today there are over 40,000 police on duty, nearly 7,000 here in Baghdad alone.

-- Last night Coalition Forces and Iraqi police conducted 1,731 joint patrols.

Six months ago those elements of Saddam's military that had not been destroyed in combat had buried their airplanes and melted away.

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

-- Across the country over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens.

Six months ago there were no functioning courts in Iraq.

-- Today nearly all of Iraq's 400 courts are functioning.

-- Today, for the first time in over a generation, the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.

As today's events have made clear, much remains to be done to establish an acceptable security environment. Even so, things have improved enough to ease the curfew in Baghdad to only four hours.

BEGIN RESTORATION OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

Six months ago the entire country could generate a bare 300 megawatts of electricity.

-- On Monday, October 6, power generation hit 4,518 megawatts -- exceeding the pre-war average....

-- If we get the funding the president has requested in his emergency budget, we expect to produce enough electricity for all Iraqis to have electrical service 24 hours daily -- something essential to their hopes for the future.

Six months ago nearly all of Iraq's schools were closed.

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

-- Many of you know that we announced our plan to rehabilitate 1,000 schools by the time school started -- well, by October 1 we had actually rehabbed over 1,500.

Six months ago teachers were paid as little as $5.33 per month.

-- Today teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.

Six months ago the public health system was an empty shell. During the 1990's Saddam cut spending on public health by over 90 percent, with predictable results for the lives of his citizens.

-- Today we have increased public health spending to over 26 times what it was under Saddam.

-- Today all 240 hospitals and more than 1,200 clinics are open.

-- Today 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.

-- Since liberation we have administered over 22 million vaccination doses to Iraq's children.

Six months ago three-quarters of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of irrigation canals were weed-choked and barely functional.

-- Today a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of those canals. They now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women.

Additionally, we have restored over three-quarters of pre-war telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production.

Before the war there were 4,500 Internet connections and important services, such as instant messaging were forbidden.

-- Today there are 4,900 full-service connections.

-- We expect 50,000 by January first.

BEGIN TO TRANSFORM THE ECONOMY.

Six months ago Iraq's economy was flat on its back.

-- Today anyone walking the streets can see the wheels of commerce turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns.

Six months ago all banks were closed.

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

-- Today Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.

-- Today the central bank is fully independent.

-- Today Iraq has one of the world's most growth-oriented investment and banking laws.

Six months ago Iraq had two currencies.

-- Next week Iraq will get a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years.

BEGIN THE TRANSFORMATION TO DEMOCRACY.

Six months ago there was no freedom of expression. Satellite dishes were illegal. Foreign journalists came on 10-day visas and paid mandatory and extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other government spies.

-- Today there is no Ministry of Information.

-- Today there are more than 170 newspapers.

-- Today you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner.

-- Today foreign journalists and everyone else are free to come and go.

Six months ago Iraq had not one single element -- legislative, judicial or executive -- of a representative government.

-- Today in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman.

-- Today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.

-- Today 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraq's history, run the day-to-day business of government.

-- Today the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the U.N. General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world.

Six months ago Shia religious festivals were all but banned.

-- Today, for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.

In six short months we have accomplished a lot.

We are also aware that the progress we have made is only a beginning. A quarter century of negligence, cronyism and war mongering have devastated this country. Such profound damage cannot be repaired overnight.

Bringing Iraq up to minimum self-sufficiency will require the full $20 billion the president has asked of Congress in his supplemental budget request.

We are fighting terrorism here and we will continue to fight it until it no longer threatens the hopes of Iraqis, the hopes of the world.

The importance and urgency of this task was underscored for all of us today when terrorists car-bombed a police station and assassinated a Spanish diplomat.

As the president just said, "We will wage the war on terror until it is won."

[DaBeeeenster]

Snopes or not, they missed off some others:

- Today we are busy "freeing" the godless desert armpit of Iraq so that we can pump it empty of oil in order drive around in 8 mpg SUV's whilst taking our children to school.

[Hiro P.]

Snopes or not, they missed off some others:

- Today we are busy "freeing" the godless desert armpit of Iraq so that we can pump it empty of oil in order drive around in 8 mpg SUV's whilst taking our children to school.

oh yes thank god for that IRAQI OIL, now my gas is only $1.71 a gallon, down from $1.20ish of 2 years ago...oh wait :rolleyes:

[DaBeeeenster]

oh yes thank god for that IRAQI OIL, now my gas is only $1.71 a gallon, down from $1.20ish of 2 years ago...oh wait :rolleyes:

You are clearly as ill informed about retail pump oil prices as you are about numerous other areas of the world.

[Hiro P.]

You are clearly as ill informed about retail pump oil prices as you are about numerous other areas of the world.

i didn't relaize from your perch in Britainia that you were such an expert on gas prices in the US, your lidless eye sees far.

[Aaron Veteran]

Snopes or not, they missed off some others:

- Today we are busy "freeing" the godless desert armpit of Iraq so that we can pump it empty of oil in order drive around in 8 mpg SUV's whilst taking our children to school.

Oh, ok, now I see. So just **** all the good that may have come. You suck. :angry:

[DaBeeeenster]

i didn't relaize from your perch in Britainia that you were such an expert on gas prices in the US, your lidless eye sees far.

Retail pump oil prices lag barrel prices by around 9/12 months. This is (allegedly) common knowledge.

[DaBeeeenster]

Oh, ok, now I see. So just **** all the good that may have come. You suck. :angry:

Er, what good? Supporting Saddam while he brutalised and gassed his own people, then when saddam stopped taking orders from Washington, bombing them into last week?

Or maybe it's the support of countries like Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey (each of which has its own list of human rights and freedom abuses) in order to bomb them more easily?

It is happening all over again and some people refuse to see it. Karimov is a mini Saddam in the making.

[Hiro P.]

Retail pump oil prices lag barrel prices by around 9/12 months. This is (allegedly) common knowledge.

well then gas prices should at least be holding steady, which they're not.

also if we're "stealing" all this oil how come a couple of billion of that 87b grant is being spent to import it into Iraq?

oh god you're on your Uzbekistan kick again, no one cared about it 2 months ago and no one does now

[DaBeeeenster]

well then gas prices should at least be holding steady, which they're not.

Why on earth should they be holding steady? Or are you ignorant enough to think that the only thing that moves the prices of crude oil is when the US bomb poor people?

Why would they be holding steady? The build up to the war in Iraq took many months. and would have had an effect on the price of a barrel of oil, but clearly that is not the only reason for the price to move. There would be thousands of factors for this.

Maybe you need an "Economics for Dummies" guide or something for next Christmas?

also if we're "stealing" all this oil how come a couple of billion of that 87b grant is being spent to import it into Iraq?

Because Iraq is years away from being able to produce the number of barrels their reserves would allow. The country has experienced three wars as well as economic sanctions and as a result is crippled with respect to oil production.

oh god you're on your Uzbekistan kick again, no one cared about it 2 months ago and no one does now

Thank you for demonstrating my point perfectly. The Bush administration cares nothing for "freedom", "morality" or "democracy". The only three arguments that have survived the war are the very ones that are being ignored.

Thank you again for proving my point.

[caustiK]

Because Iraq is years away from being able to produce the number of barrels their reserves would allow. The country has experienced three wars as well as economic sanctions and as a result is crippled with respect to oil production.

so what were you arguing? we're stealing all the oil they can't make?

[DaBeeeenster]

No. I'm saying that the US had a number of reasons for invading Iraq. (Hint, WOMD wasn't one of them. Well, unofficially it wasn't, anyway).

One of the reasons was the oil. The US has continued to maintain control over the country after the war "ended". Why? It supports a number of the (real) reasons that they invaded Iraq, included control over the oil fields.

You have to ask why, when they asked the UN for help and the UN accepted, with the proviso that they would have to hand over control to the organisation, did the US refuse the offer?

If the reason for the war was the WOMD, why refuse UN help? What is wrong with the UN having control of the creation of a provisional government? Ask yourself WHY it was so important for the US to remain in control.

[Hiro P.]

If the reason for the war was the WOMD, why refuse UN help? What is wrong with the UN having control of the creation of a provisional government? Ask yourself WHY it was so important for the US to remain in control.

i take it you haven't seen how "great" Kosovo is doing under UN control

[DaBeeeenster]

You are not answering the question. Are you suggesting that Iraq is in a better state being looked after by the US than it is by the UN?

[Hiro P.]

You are not answering the question. Are you suggesting that Iraq is in a better state being looked after by the US than it is by the UN?

yes i am, Kosovo is a hellhole under UN "control", 4 years and they still don't have self-government

http://www.rense.com/general45/crime.htm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Kosovo/Story/0,2763,726894,00.html

[digipoi]

You are not answering the question. Are you suggesting that Iraq is in a better state being looked after by the US than it is by the UN?

Id have to agree with Hiro. The UN are easily more than likely to get p*ssed on than the US as far as control goes. Still. Really havent seen much toughness coming from the UN which is what they lack.