Update [2005-6-5 20:30:26 by compass rose]: At the suggestion of a longtime Kossack, I have changed the title in hopes that more people will find it intriguing enough to read the Newsweek article.
I was one of those who was very unhappy with Newsweek's apparent capitulation to the administration. But an article in this week's edition by Rod Nordland - who originally went to Iraq two years ago as a cheerleader in support of getting rid of Saddam, has written a swan song that tells a very different tale.
The article is entitled "Good Intentions Gone Bad." The loss of the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people started with Abu Ghraib.
Nordland then describes life in Baghdad in scathing terms:
"The four-square-mile Green Zone, the one place in Baghdad where foreigners are reasonably safe, could be a showcase of American values and abilities. Instead the American enclave is a trash-strewn wasteland of Mad Max-style fortifications. The traffic lights don't work because no one has bothered to fix them. The garbage rarely gets collected. Some of the worst ambassadors in U.S. history are the GIs at the Green Zone's checkpoints. They've repeatedly punched Iraqi ministers, accidentally shot at visiting dignitaries and behave (even on good days) with all the courtesy of nightclub bouncers--to Americans and Iraqis alike."
and what of all the money that is constantly being approved by Congress for rebuilding?
"At last count America has pumped at least $7 billion into reconstruction projects, with little to show for it but the hostility of ordinary Iraqis, who still have an 18 percent unemployment rate. Most of the cash goes to U.S. contractors who spend much of it on personal security. Basic services like electricity, water and sewers still aren't up to prewar levels. Electricity is especially vital in a country where summer temperatures commonly reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet only 15 percent of Iraqis have reliable electrical service. In the capital, where it counts most, it's only 4 percent."
So, when someone throws that question around - isn't everyone better off without Saddam - even many of those who were in favor of the war now say no.
And, although the conclusion - the US must stay although who knows for how long - may not be one you agree with, my hat is still off for Newsweek.
Gee, guys, think this is what McClellan meant when he said you must do something to make the situation better?