State Department Issues Report Detailing Progress in Iraq

[AGENDA21]

Report finds progress in politics, economics, security, despite violence

Washington -- Iraq's economy nearly doubled from 2002 to 2005, despite disruptions from terrorists and insurgents, the State Department said in its first presidential report to Congress detailing progress in Iraq in the areas of politics, economics and security.

Water and sewage services in Iraq have been rehabilitated and immunization campaigns for children have been carried out, the department said in an April 7 media note summarizing the conclusions of the report.

Iraqi politicians are making progress toward forming a government despite the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra in February by attackers who sought to start a civil war, the report says, and in the realm of security, Iraqi soldiers and policemen continue to be trained and equipped.

As for the challenges, the report says the defense and interior ministries face multiple administrative challenges and the chains of command in the two ministries are undermined by militia and criminal elements, the note said. It added that Iraq's local and provincial governments face difficulties stemming from a long-history of centralized rule from Baghdad.

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=April&x=20060407175055cpataruk0.6806604&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html

[Eugene]

1. How much of this "growth" went to KBR, Bechtel, or

Iraq's puppet rulers? The total flow of money may have increased,
but Iraq is worse off by nearly every other objective measure.