You have turned our lives into a seemingly endless series of crises and our suffering is day and night
Many people question the validity of U.S. military actions in Iraq. They base these questions on the information they obtain through television news networks.
Actually, television coverage has been, for the most part, sanitized in alignment with the Bush administration's wishes. Critical questions weren't asked prior to the illegal, immoral invasion of a nation state that posed no threat to the United States, and even after, mainstream media coverage has been totally skewed in a pro-war shroud. But all one has to do is power on their computer and pour over volumes upon volumes of information, news and perspectives from all different angles. And the simple task of signing up for a library card can provide the missing perspecitve that our "professional media corps" have failed to provide.
Based on those reports, one would believe the cost of our actions in Iraq has been too high and that our military has made little or no progress in the country. That is not so. Most news reports are biased and incomplete.
Yes, there are good stories to be shared about heroic American forces doing their utmost to make a difference. But those successes are drowned out by the weight of larger truths — insurgent attacks are still on the rise and every day in Iraq brings yet another long list of "security incidents".
For example, last week, for the first time in more than eight years, the people of Baghdad had running, drinkable water, a significant achievement barely mentioned on the news. Our efforts to restore services in Iraq will take time. Saddam Hussein appointed friends and family to head the utilities of the nation while in power. Those people refused to maintain those facilities in away that would provide energy, water, sewage, hospitals and schools for the common citizen.
Overall, news developments on this front arn't near as optmistic as this dreamy eyed writer depicts.
- Iraq natives take issue with the claim in the opening sentence, and state that water was never a luxury in Baghdad before US actions.
- Oil production is at its lowest level since the war in 2003 and now, unlike under Hussien's rule, a gasoline crisis has ensured that fuel is no longer cheap and available.
- Utilities, infrastructure are still not up to prewar levels yet.
- Water and electricity shortages still plague southern Iraq
- A UN report on "Living Conditions in Iraq" noted that there's been an "alarming deterioration" in living conditions SINCE the US invasion.
- Severe water shortages in Baghdad suburbs.
- An open letter to George W. Bush from an Iraqi telling how the US has "turned our lives into a seemingly endless series of crises and our suffering is day and night"
- Utilities, infrastructure are still not up to prewar levels yet.
More importantly, Iraqi citizens are no longer in fear of religious persecution and are free to make the spiritual choices that God has given them. What we are doing is not only just, it is necessary
With the rise of fundemantalist Islamists, freedom for Christians, women, and all Iraqis is bound to diminish.
- Iraq "citizens" experience dread in daily life — raids and random roundups where men are detained without charges or warrants. They are prone to unjustified savage attacks from occupying forces.
- Iraqi Christians flee to safer ground.