I was just forwarded a chain email that has a list of questions beginning "Did you know..." followed by a claim of "good news" (which the terrible awful no-good very bad liberal media is keeping fom us). A quick search with The Google reveals that it has been around quite a while and while there were several sarcastic rejoinders, I failed to find a good rebuttal. I was also curious how these claims, most based on 2003-2005 information, stand up today. So I started some digging. And now I'm enlisting help to finsh the job. You game?
A quick stop at Snopes did find an entry, but no significant efforts at fact-checking, etc.
So here is the email with my responses in block quotes.
Did you know that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?
The 47 number appears to come from an article which reports,
"Marc Sievers, a State Department official and senior adviser to the Iraqi foreign affairs ministry, said Iraqis recently chose diplomats to serve in the nation's 47 embassies." NYT June 13, 2004.
This would appear to be in reference to the number of embassies Iraq is operating in other countries, not the number of foreign embassies in Iraq.
www.embassiesabroad.com lists 17 but other sites add another 5 for a total of 22: However, the exact number appears to be difficult to determine as some embassies such as Switzerland are operating but in another country.
Armenia
Afghanistan
Australia
Bangladesh
Bahrain
Canada
Chez Republic
China
Denmark
Finland
France
Greece
Jordan
Korea
Maylasia
Netherlands
Oman
Phillipines
Romania
Sweden
Turkey
US
Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?
I can find no source to support or refute this number, But ironically, it is the same number cited as the number of Iraqis displaced in Syria and/or the number of
dead Iraqis.
Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 new schools are now under construction; and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq ?
I cannot find a source for these numbers. But, even if the projects listed above were completed as stated, it would not even bring Iraq's schools back to where they were pre-invasion. According to a study conducted by the Iraq Education minister and supported by UNICEF,
...since March 2003, over 700 primary schools had been damaged by bombing – a third of those in Baghdad – with more than 200 burned and over 3,000 looted.
What's more, the 2008 SIGI report to congress indicates only a total of 1029 complete or still in progress school projects.
Did you know that Iraq 's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?
These numbers are consistent with Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education. However, it is sad to note that while 240,000 undergraduates were reportedly enrolled in Iraq's universities and colleges in 2002-2003 and were taught by 14,700 faculty, more recent enrollment is around 100,000. Kidnapping and murder does tend to drive down enrollment.
Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?
This appears to be a real bright spot. In fact, Iraqi scholars have continued to come each year and the 6th annual competition just completed.
Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5 - 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.
Yes, by all appearances the Navy is operational and the fleet descriptions are accurate 9as of 2005).
Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, Which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet Rangers?
I've got nothing on this one...
Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?
okay. Glad to hear it.
Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?
This is a highly debatable and untrackable number. It does not account for the numbers that desert as soon as they are given weapons or the margin which local tribal leaders may be padding their recruit statistics to earn extra money. What is more, as of 2005 at least 12,000 have been killed since Iras's "liberation".
Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers every 8 weeks?
This appears to be from a White House Press Release from 2005:
"Iraq has six basic police academies, and one in Jordan, that together produce over 3,500 new police officers every 10 weeks."
The US has built several Police Academies. Including this one.
Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq ? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.
This press release from Dec of 2004 appears to be the source for this claim. Needless to say, the DOD has not updates this exact list so we are left to our own devises to determine how much of this wish-list they actually completed. A look at the Apil 2008 Special Inspector General's Iraq Reconstruction report (pdf alert)to congress shows us the following:
Of the Top 5:
Electrical prjects - 3 of 5 are completed
Transportation projects - 1 of 5 is complete
Water projects - 2 of 5 are complete
Hospital projects - 1 of 5 is complete
Public Health Clinics - 60 or 142 are complete and open
Schools - 1029 have been constructed and/or rennovated with an additional 212 in progress.
Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
This figure appears to be from UNICEF, 2006, and there is no doubt that UNICEF has mounted an incredible effort to vaccinate kids to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases. So far, no cases of polio have been reported. However, WHO reports almost 5000 cases of cholera and as many as 10,000 cases of measles.
And for more "good news" UNICEF reports that vaccination rates are falling as conditions for volunteers worsen and security continues to deteriorate.
Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?
This number appears to be from a UNICEF press release titled, ironically, "Iraq’s Schools Suffering From Neglect and War"
The release begins:
AMMAN / GENEVA, 15 October 2004 – The first comprehensive study on the condition of schools in post-conflict Iraq has confirmed that thousands of school facilities lack the basics necessary to provide children with a decent education.
The school survey, released this week by the Iraq Ministry of Education, shows that one-third of all primary schools in Iraq lack any water supply and almost half are without any sanitation facilities.
And
The survey states that since March 2003, over 700 primary schools had been damaged by bombing – a third of those in Baghdad – with more than 200 burned and over 3,000 looted.
And goes on to say,
In fact, while there are more than 14,000 named primary schools in Iraq, there are only 11,368 actual schools buildings available to house them. Some 2,700 of these need major rehabilitation.
In other under-reported news, in 2006 a civil engineer with UNICCEF working on the school rebuilding project was shot to death in Baghdad.
This report also puts this statement into context:
Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 new schools are now under construction; and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq?
Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?
According to this NYT article, that number is now up to over 7 million. Of course, the individuals who were interviewed indicated that their phone was most important because it allowed them to keep in touch with family members and assure on another that they were alright...Business remains strong.
Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?
...
Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?
It is called the Iraq Stock Exchange and there have been many many articles written about it at the time it reopened in 2004 and since then.
Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?
This is in reference to the 2004 election, but that's all I know.
Obligatory closing rant:
OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!
WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?
BECAUSE OUR MEDIA WON'T TELL US!
Instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at the presidential motorcades.
Tragically, the lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes:
It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States thus minimizing consequent support; and it is intended to discourage American citizens.
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Above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site.
http://www.defenselink.mil/
(naturally, the DOD site had very little to do with the email)