Funny Iraq Story

A few months ago, I read a magnificent book regarding
the various factions that rule Iraq. That book was
"The Prince of the Marshes" by Rory Stewart. If only
every American could read this book. There would then
be an understanding of why America cannot possibly
succeed in Iraq.

One of the absurdities pointed out by the author
was that hundreds of millions of dollars are invested
by our great nation to provide unemployed Iraqi
workers with jobs. At the time the book was written,
laborers were hired to re-paint bombed out schools
that would never again be used as schools because
school teachers are given permanent time outs
(bullets to the head) if they dared to step foot
in any one of those freshly painted schools.

So here's the joke that I found funny. Others might
find it pathetic. In calling up an additional 20,000
troops and attempting to rationalize America's new
multi-billion dollar "investment," President Bush
announced that unemployed Iraqis would be given jobs
painting schools. When I read that in the New York
Times this week, I immediately thought of "The Prince
of the Marshes" and laughed at how quickly men forget
one learned lesson after another.

Nearly thirty months ago, on August 6th, 2004, I wrote:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why Iraqi Children Will Forever Hate America

It's not because of the free milk chocolate candy bars
which taste delicious but cause constipation. It's not
because of the free whey protein powder which congests
their lungs. It's not because of the dried milk powder
which cannot be digested without causing painful
symptoms of lactose intolerance. It's much more than
that, and the children will neither forgive nor forget.

On March 19, 2003, American armed forces began their
bombing of Iraq. Two weeks later, I wrote:

"Thousands of civilians may die from bombs and bullets,
but millions will be affected by dirty water. After the
first Gulf War, outbreaks of cholera and malaria killed
untold thousands of Iraqis. Millions of people became
ill. This is Iraq's absolute destiny...Waste treatment.
Clean water. That's the key, and that will be the true
tragedy of Iraq's near future. Filth carries lethal
disease. Humanitarian aid will feed and clothe the people.
There is not enough time, or clean water, or understanding,
to deter the horror story that is about to be written in
the desert."

Five months later, my prediction had come true. On August
4, 2004, news of an Iraqi epidemic was confirmed by the
New York Times:

"Typhoid and hepatitis E are running rampant through Sadr
City this summer, as residents rely heavily on a sewage-tainted
water supply to endure temperatures of 115 degrees and up. The
outbreak has strained local healthcare facilities and left
Health Ministry officials able to only guess at the scope of
the problem...Broken water lines allow raw sewage to seep into
the regular water supply. Frequent electrical shortages stop
the municipal water pumps, and innovative means of pumping
water from the dry pipes end up bringing in extra sewage...
Other parts of the country are bracing for a disease-ridden
August. The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis
in the southern city of Basra, also because of high
temperatures and a suspect water supply."

Before the war, plumbing worked. After the war, the
toilets no longer flushed. That is what separates
civilized nations of the world from the uncivilized.
Sanitation is the cultural key to longevity. Living
long and healthy is a two-pronged challenge. With
sanitation, one has the potential to live a long and
healthy life. With proper diet, one guarantees that
human destiny is achievable. Without sanitation,
diet's role in longevity is negated.

Something bothers me about the opening weeks of
the Iraqi war. We Americans were told that precision
bombs were used on carefully selected military targets,
yet, sewer systems were destroyed. Either we were lied
to and the bombs were not-so precise, or, America
intentionally targeted sewer systems with state-of-the
art precision weapons, aware of the sickness and death
that would linger upon a devastated population. Ask
yourself why Iraqi children will forever hate Americans,
while imagining the same horror occurring where you live.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The children will forever hate Americans. We cannot
blame this entirely on Bush. We must each take
responsibility, for we are America. We must make things
right, for that has always been the credo of all Americans:
To do the right thing.

The man who suggests that we again paint Iraq's schools
will be appearing on 60 Minutes this Sunday evening.
Having had more than enough comedy lately, I do not plan
on watching his stand-up act. It's an old routine, and
I've seen it before.

Robert Cohen
http://www.notmilk.com
i4crob@...