Kansas City Star Article w/freeper comments

[Dawgs]

How the United States and Iraq have changed since 2003
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/special_packages/iraq/14133173.htm

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1599548/posts.

"Good point. Under Saddam about 15% of the country was well taken care of while 85% lived as slaves or worse. A lot of people in this country think it would be great to leave the 85% to get killed again because then the 15% will give us TV pictures that make us feel warm and fuzzy."

"There's no question a brutal dictator can make things run efficiently. The Star seems to be celebrating this."

"They just pulled them out of thin air like the rest of the rats do."

"My best guess is that they just made them up. The electricity output and unemployment rates they cite don't match up to what I see. The electricity does still go off in Baghdad, but their hour count is a gross exaggeration. And the MSM had better get their facts coordinated. CNN was actually reporting on an improving economy and job market in Iraq just last night. CNN! (Yes, my jaw dropped...) The numbers I hear don't match up to the KC Star's numbers."

[NoPasaran]

1. "The numbers I hear don't match up..."

WARNING: The voices in your head may not be a reliable source of information.

[ret5hd]

2. oh, good! Now, only 50% of the people will live as slaves...

those 50% being women, of course. but everyone knows that being a slave to a set of religious doctrines is MUCH preferable to being a slave to a government.

(ccaveat: i am not implying that people were slaves under saddam)

[shoelace414]

3. a really important statistic is Unemployment rate

because employed people dont forment rebellion

I heard recently it's still over 50%

[havocmom]

4. Re: Brutal dictators and efficiency

Some can make thinks run efficiently, but, as proved in America, there is no guarentee of that happening.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Funny none of the freepers mentioned this:

Americans have spent $250 billion on military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq.