The WaPo's
David Ignatius has some good practical advice for the Bush Administration as a way to keep the Iraqi populace from buying into Sadr's violence, and make them feel that the US and its allies are bringing a better life, including:
Quote:
• Provide electricity everywhere, 24 hours a day, by the scheduled handover of sovereignty. If it takes an airlift of C-17s carrying generators, do it; if it means expensive temporary fixes, do it. The lack of electric power has been a symbol of U.S. failure in Iraq; make reliable electricity a symbol of success.
• Speed up the $18 billion in reconstruction spending the United States promised in January. That effort was supposed to deliver 50,000 new jobs by June 30. Iraqis need to see action, now.
• Put more money on the streets quickly, through crash public works projects. The coalition cleaned up Baghdad last summer by paying thousands of kids a few dollars a day to sweep streets. Do it again. Put more money into the hands of local political, tribal and religious leaders. Some of it will be wasted, but in a good cause.
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All good advice. I've been baffled by the announced difficulties in getting the electricity going. I know that the reasons mentioned have been (a) sabotage, and (b) a system that was decrepit to start with, and don't doubt that there's some truth to both of these, but does anyone know more about why we haven't been throwing more resources and people at this? Establishing a constant electricity supply to get through a desert summer, even at significant cost, seems like a no-brainer.
