Hm. Interesting... Sorry to obsess over a silly list, but I just know the one "I deconstructed yesterday":http://www.back-to-iraq.com/archives/000656.php is going to get floated around at some point. It's important to know what's true and what's not.
It turns out that the list discussed yesterday is a greatly, ahem, "enhanced"
that was based on CPA Administrator Paul Bremer's "Oct. 9, 2003 press conference":http://www.cpa-iraq.org/transcripts/20031009_Oct-09Bremerpresscon.htm in Baghdad.
There are a number of changes, and they prove that the list from "Karl Nielsen" is a hoax. What's kind of funny about this is that looking over these items, it's pretty obvious the forger was spoofing Bremer's list -- and the FreeRepublic and NewsMax thought it bucked them up. In hindsight, it would have been more efficient to just dismiss the Nielsen list as bogus right off the bat, but it was more fun to call, say, McDonald's and Bloomingdale's and get a comment from them. Well, at least I fact-checked the list, which is more than what some reporters in Washington seem to do these days.
Here are the two lists for comparison:
| Bremer's List |
"Karl Nielsen's" list |
| The first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty.
|
The first battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty |
| over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow citizens. |
~60,000 Iraqis providing security to citizens. They will receive weapons by June 2004. |
| nearly all of Iraqís 400 courts are functioning. |
Nearly all of Iraq’s 400 courts are functioning and 24 judges have passed the American bar. |
| the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent. |
The Coalition approved Iraqi judiciary is fully independent. |
| on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518 megawatts -- exceeding the pre-war average. |
Power generation hit 4,518 megawatts for one day in October exceeding prewar output. |
| all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are open, as are nearly all primary and secondary schools. |
All 22 Universities & 43 technical institutes/colleges are open and most of them have teachers. Nearly all primary and secondary schools are open for at least ninety minutes a day. |
| Coalition forces had rehabbed over 1,500 schools -- 500 more than their target. |
Coalition has “rehabbed” 1,500+ schools (500 ahead of schedule) and many of them have roofs and electricity. |
| teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries. |
Teachers earn from 12-25 times their former salaries. |
| all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open. |
All 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open and 10% have running water. |
| |
Hoosiers has opened its first restaurant in Bagdad (sic). |
| doctors' salaries are at least eight times what they were under Saddam. |
Doctors salaries are at least 8 times what they were under Saddam. |
| pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to 700 tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons. |
Pharmaceutical distribution has gone from almost zero to 12,000 tons and Prozac has been made available for free. |
| the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccination doses to Iraqís children. |
|
| |
Five Wallmarts (sic) are set to go up in the main cities of Iraq. |
| a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq's 27,000 kilometers of weed-choked canals. They now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men and women. |
Coalition has cleared 14,000+km of Iraq’s 27,000km of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands of farms. This project has created 100,000+ jobs for Iraqi men & women. |
| |
Three golf courses have been built.[I still kind of believe this one. -- Ed.] |
| we have restored over three-quarters of pre-war telephone services and over two-thirds of the potable water production. |
Coalition has restored over 3/4 of prewar telephone services and 2/3+ of potable water production. |
| there are 4,900 full-service connections. We expect 50,000 by January first. [In Bremer's speech, he's actually referring to Internet connections here and not phone connections. -- Ed.] |
4,900+ full-service telephone connections (~50,000 by year-end). |
| the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite dishes to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities and towns. |
Commerce is expanding rapidly (bicycles, satellite dishes, cars, RV vehicles, etc) in all major cities and towns. |
| 95 percent of all pre-war bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily. |
95% of all prewar bank customers have service and first-time customers are opening accounts daily and receiving a free toaster. |
| Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses. |
Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses. |
| the central bank is fully independent. |
|
| Iraq has one of the world's most growth-oriented investment and banking laws. |
Iraq has one of the world’s most growth-oriented investment and banking laws. The Bagdad Stock Exchange opened stimulating a blossoming business in speculation. |
| Iraq (has) a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years. |
Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15 years. Despite many demands from monetory authorities Vice-President Dick Cheney turned down requests to allow his picture to be used on the currency. |
| satellite dishes are legal. |
Satellite TV dishes are legal. |
| foreign journalists aren't on 10-day visas paying mandatory and extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and other government spies. |
Foreign journalists are not on “10-day visas” paying mandatory fees to the Ministry of Information for minders. There is no such Ministry. |
| there is no Ministry of Information. |
|
| there are more than 170 newspapers. |
There are 170+ newspapers. The first issue of _Playboy_ was published. |
| |
Plans have been approved to open 45 McDonalds restaurants. |
| you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street corner. |
|
| foreign journalists and everyone else are free to come and go. |
|
| a nation that had not one single element -- legislative, judicial or executive -- of a representative government, does. |
|
| in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils. Baghdad's first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened when the city council elected its new chairman. |
|
| today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country. |
Iraqi Chambers of commerce, businesses, schools and professional organizations are electing their leaders all over the country. |
| |
Over 170,000 credit cards have been issued to qualified individuals. |
| 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body in Iraqís history, run the day-to-day business of government. |
|
| the Iraqi government regularly participates in international events. Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two dozen international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly, the Arab League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference Summit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening over 30 Iraqi embassies around the world. |
|
| Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren't. |
|
| for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.[My Shi'ite friends still say this is wrong. It's the 3rd Imam. -- Ed.] |
For the first time in 35 years, in Karbala, thousands of Shiites celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam. |
| |
Bloomingdales has been signed as the anchor store in the new Metro Bagdad Mall. |
| the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of (a) strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq. |
The Coalition has completed 13,000+ reconstruction projects, large and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq. |
| |
American businesses are making tremendous profits from the reconstruction to offset the expense and loss the United States suffered in the war. |
| Uday and Queasy are dead -- and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis to his zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force cooperation, torturing Iraq's soccer players for losing games, murdering critics. |
Uday and Queasy are dead, and no longer feeding Iraqis to the zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force cooperation, torturing Iraq’s soccer players for losing games, or murdering critics. |
| children aren't imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government. |
Children aren’t imprisoned or murdered when their parents disagree with the government. |
| |
Sesame Street and Barney, previously forbidden in Iraq, is now aired daily. |
| political opponents aren't imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam. |
Political opponents aren’t imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam. |
| millions of long-suffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror. |
Millions of long-suffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual terror. |
| Saudi swill hold municipal elections.* |
As a side effect, in neighboring countries, (1) Saudis will hold municipal elections, |
| Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.* |
(2) Qatar will allow citizens to use credit cards which were formerly forbidden under Islamic law, |
| Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.* |
(3) Jordan has begun broadcasting American television programming; Friends, Sienfield, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, |
| the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an Iranian -- a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for democracy and for peace.* |
(4) through Coalition influence the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded (first time) to an Iranian (Muslim woman) who speaks out for human rights/democracy and peace. |
| [President Bush] has not faltered or failed. |
|
| Saddam is gone. |
Saddam is gone. |
| Iraq is free. |
Iraq is free. |
| |
Little or none of this information has been published by the Press Corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that’s important. Iraq, under US lead control, has come further in six months than Germany did in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military deaths from fanatic Nazi’s and Japanese numbered in the thousands and continued for over three years after WWII victory was declared. It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris, let alone attempt to build something else in its place.
Now, take into account that many people in our government and media continue to claim on a daily basis on national TV that this conflict has been a failure. Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of our sons and daughters in this conflict, do you think any other country in the world could have accomplished as much as the United States and its coalition partners have in so short a period of time?
|
Thanks for putting this list out, Chris. It gives me hope that indeed some good may come from this war yet!
As for the pro-war people, I would say that as they changed their stance from WMD, to Anti-Terrorism, and then finally of it being a war for the Iraqi people, this is good news too. At least SOMETHING positive has the chance of coming from it.
I tend to kind of believe the “170,000 people have been approved for credit cards” one myself. After all the free offers I keep getting - and which apparently qualified dogs and cats in the US and UK keep getting - I’d be surprised if they missed this golden opportunity!
I kinda tend to believe Barney is being aired daily on every functional TV station - and prisoners being held by the “coalition” are forced to watch it, being wakened round the clock for more forced watching every time the show repeats.
Regardless of who’s attributed to releasing the info, it is fairly accurate, other then the left’s attempt at discrediting it because they simply can’t handle disseminating any GOOD news.
i don’t think that is true, Artie. I am left of center and I am sincerely happy to hear good news when it comes to Iraq. I have some dear friends over there and I truely hope that their efforts and risks will do some good for the Iraqi people. I would bet that most liberal people feel the same (and if they don’t they should think about that). But lets not confuse the situation. We did not go to war with Iraq for humanitarian causes.
You know, I’d say this is a pretty transparent anti-war message, believe it or not. All the embellishments added to Bremer’s list belittle the coalition’s accomplishments. Bremer says a bunch of schools have been rehabbed; the chaplain says a bunch of schools have been rehabbed and most have teachers. Bremer says 60,000 Iraqis are providing security; the chaplain says they don’t have their weapons yet. Bremer says a bunch of hospitals are open; the chaplain says that only 10% of them have running water. The list goes on. This is clearly not a pro-Bremer message.
…sorry about the ‘bold gone wild’ above…
Wow. I guess irony isn’t dead.
I came here though Atrios. Is this indicative of the quality of your “journalism?” Deconstructing an internet legend? I’d pay to send Juan Cole to Iraq, but not you: not after this nonsense.
I work for the CPA. While I often have my doubts about things here, there is no doubt that right now in this place, we represent a progressive force in Iraq: materially, socially, politically. The amount of dreck in the institutions of this country and just between people’s ears is something like the Augean stables. That’s not meant as an insult to the Iraqi people, who are mostly open and willing to work towards a democratic future. It’s just an effect of 30+ years of propaganda and the spiritual depredations of Saddam’s regime. It distorted people’s thinking, ability to trust each other and work for a common purpose. It will take years to recover.
You mentioned “Riverbend.” A good example of shit between the ears. She whines all the time about our lapses, but not about the murderous “resistance” that kills scores of Iraqis with their bombs, and laundresses and CNN reporters with machine guns. Has she ever proposed her own solution? I am 99% sure that she is a child of the old Ba’athist nomenklatura living in Mansour, probably. Life used to be good, daddy Saddam took care of her. Baghdad used to have almost all of their electrical need met, at the expense of the rest of the country. B-dad comsumes about 1300 MW of Iraq’s daily power needs. In the old days, the less than 4500 MW that Iraq produced was more than enough for B-dad, but the rest of the country was screwed. Now the load-shedding is more evenly distributed.
My doubts? The question of whether we did enough or are doing enough is really my major doubt.
D-man: An occupational force is in no way progressive (unless you count it as a cheery alternative to genocide). Imagine how you would feel if someone broke into your house, shot your kids, said “Oops. My bad. Those six year olds could have had a nuke in ten years” and then started fixing your toilet? Would you really be all that greatful for them fixing your toilet?
As I understand Riverbend’s solution it is: “Get the fuck out of my contry.” Its still more her’s than ours.
Go to snope.com and check out their treatment of this list. It includes a link to a native Iraqi’s take on the list as well… very interesting.
Sorry, that’s snopes.com
Good for the Saudi swill! (sorry, couldn’t resist)
cn:
To remove the plundering, murderous Saddam and his sons and cronies, with their massive army, mukhabarat and Ba’ath party apparatus, we had to invade the country.
Once we invaded the country, we had an obligation under the Hague and Geneva conventions to try and restore order and to administer it for the benefit of the Iraqi people. I’ll admit that we failed at the immediate end of the war, but things have dramatically improved since then and the “progressive” nature of the occupation cannot be doubted now. We are advancing consciousness of human rights, including specifically women’s rights, democracy, freeing people from bureaucratic control and the rule of law. Whether it takes or not after we leave is up to the Iraqis
Yes, I would say that we are “a cheery alternative to genocide.” To use and change your hypothetical example: What if someone broke into your house and shot the guy who had just killed your son and was attempting to rape your daughter? The mass graves are real, the torture was real, the corruption and plundering of Iraq’s resources for what, 90 palaces and the like was real, the oppression and impoverishment was real.
Most people here want us to stay, at least in the short term. Why don’t you come over and see what’s going on, and the mass graves, too.
Nice rebuttal Chris, but I noticed one omission:
“Political opponents aren’t imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.”
No, now they’re imprisoned, tortured and disappeared for agreeing with Saddam. See e.g.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/jul2003/det-j04.shtml
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm">http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm”>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm
Nice rebuttal Chris, but I noticed one omission:
“Political opponents aren’t imprisoned, tortured, executed, maimed, or forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.”
No, now they’re imprisoned, tortured and disappeared for agreeing with Saddam. See e.g.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/jul2003/det-j04.shtml
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm">http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm”>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4191.htm
d-man writes:
“To remove the plundering, murderous Saddam and his sons and cronies, with their massive army, mukhabarat and Ba’ath party apparatus, we had to invade the country.”
oh, the white man’s burden… (or, if you will, America’s burden…)