DB Reese
An article found on Stars and Stripes http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=53393 has quoted the Wall Street Journal.
Iraq is sitting on over 22 Billion in revenue received from the high oil prices in the market. I say sitting on because thats exactly what they are doing.
With no infrastructure or knowledge on basic accounting and budgeting less tan 7% of funds allocated for spending are actually getting spent. The article points out that budgets are still being written out on nicely ruler lined paper.
If the money sitting in their and our banks was to get spent, then the poor roads, and other infrastructure could be a conversation of the past.
We freed their people, now with that comes the awsome responsiblity to bring them it seems into the 21st century.
Understanding the mentality and the culture would go along way into helping the American people understand why the task in Iraq has been a daunting one. But, the people in the US who want instant results are unaware of the lack of education and the conflicts it has on the little nations selfesteem.
The Iraqi people are a proud people, for that I give them respect. But in taking their time (the government) they have put at risk everything that the US has been able to accompish for them. Being politically correct and not saying to them to hurry the hell up and figure out the budgeting process is doing more harm to them now than good. People will turn back to violence as a way of earning the money that sits idly by waiting for a chance at freedom itself.
