Defense Skirts State in Reviving Iraqi Industry

[cal04]

Source: Washington Post

Paul Brinkley, a deputy undersecretary of defense, has been called a Stalinist by U.S. diplomats in Iraq. One has accused him of helping insurgents build better bombs. The State Department has even taken the unusual step of enlisting the CIA to dispute the validity of Brinkley's work.

His transgression? To begin reopening dozens of government-owned factories in Iraq.

Brinkley and his colleagues at the Pentagon believe that rehabilitating shuttered, state-run enterprises could reduce violence by employing tens of thousands of Iraqis. Officials at State counter that the initiative is antithetical to free-market reforms the United States should promote in Iraq.

The bureaucratic knife fight over the best way to revive Iraq's moribund economy illustrates how the two principal players in the reconstruction of Iraq -- the departments of Defense and State -- remain at odds over basic economic and political measures. The bickering has hamstrung initiatives to promote stability four years after Saddam Hussein's fall.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/13/AR2007051301165.html?hpid=topnews

[pinto]

1. Outside the core issue - the invasion/occupation - this article speaks to our failure

in Iraq. The factional, ideological 'civil wars' within this Administration are replayed in Iraq to disastrous consequence.

"The bickering has hamstrung initiatives to promote stability four years after Saddam Hussein's fall."

Four years and thousands of deaths later.

[bemildred]

2. I guess the Iraqis are not the only ones prone to religious wars. nt

[pberq]

3. Defense Skirts State in Reviving Iraqi Industry

Source: Washington Post

WASHINGTON AT WAR
Defense Skirts State in Reviving Iraqi Industry

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 14, 2007; Page A01

<snip>
Paul Brinkley, a deputy undersecretary of defense, has been called a Stalinist by U.S. diplomats in Iraq. One has accused him of helping insurgents build better bombs. The State Department has even taken the unusual step of enlisting the CIA to dispute the validity of Brinkley's work.

His transgression? To begin reopening dozens of government-owned factories in Iraq.

Brinkley and his colleagues at the Pentagon believe that rehabilitating shuttered, state-run enterprises could reduce violence by employing tens of thousands of Iraqis. Officials at State counter that the initiative is antithetical to free-market reforms the United States should promote in Iraq.

The bureaucratic knife fight over the best way to revive Iraq's moribund economy illustrates how the two principal players in the reconstruction of Iraq -- the departments of Defense and State -- remain at odds over basic economic and political measures. The bickering has hamstrung initiatives to promote stability four years after Saddam Hussein's fall.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/13/AR2007051301165.html?hpid=topnews

---

Thom Hartmann was just talking about this. The Neocons think private enterprise is the only way to go - even though that idea hasn't worked in Iraq for the past four years.

[Nickster]

4. This is exactly what the writer was talking about in his book about the Green Zone.

He was talking about how the insurgency gained a lot of ground because the state run companies were shut down and so many Iraqis became unemployed.

[wakeme2008]

5. Read Imperial Life in the Emerald City

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=209x5089

From the start the Neocons / Repugs have tried to do things the private way. Iraqis had free medical under Saddam, the Repugs said no way it has to be run like an HMO with co-pays.

[pberq]

6. So American soldiers are giving thier lives

so that the neocons can experiment with their bankrupt economic policy.

Brinkley has figured out that we end the insurgency by giving the Iraqis jobs. But no, we can't have that!

[wakeme2008]

7. If you have time read the book, what some wanted to do

after we told Iraq, and what the Repugs wanted to TRY there. Some wanted to reopen the factories and put ppl to work, the Repugs wanted to "sell" the factories off and reopen under private owners.

[snooper2]

8. All of these people should sit down and play SIM city..

and at least have a clue...

"Moreover, the electricity needed by production lines would mean less for residences. Would people really be happier, embassy officials asked, if they had jobs but less power at home?"

After 4 years you think this would have been addressed....roads, water, sewer, electricity, basic emergency services...