If Iraq was some 3rd world country and not one of the largest Oil Producers in the world I would be impressed.
We claim that Iraq had technology to build Nuclear weapons but would like to believe they could not send their children to school?
I was installing lines for a soldier who just came back and I asked her if the media reports accurately about Iraq, verbatim she said to me "No, its worse." I hardly think Iraq was in great despair before we invaded.
I don't quite see how reality could be worse than reporting. The only thing CNN doesn't cover is when there's armed robbery in Iraq, and I'm pretty sure here soon they'll start covering that as well. Just two days ago I was sleepless and watching CNN and they had a story about an Iraqi guy killing someone else over unpaid money. I don't understand when that makes the LOCAL news where it happens, let alone making international news.Originally Posted by tony
Besides that, 10 years ago Iraq was near the bottom of the barrel when it came to most of these things. Income disparity was incredible. Now that America cleanly knocked off or ran out a good chunk of the upper class, the middle class has a chance to take over. Don't think Iraq was some bastion of civilization. They were stuck in the 1950's for all intents, except in the most rich neighborhoods. Some of their neighbors (the Kingdom) are STILL stuck in 1950's.
If Iraq's economy suffered it was due to Economic sanctions after Desert Storm, kind of hard to grow when nobody will trade with you.. and that was the fault of Saddam. Nonetheless their economy slowly rebuilt itself and as I said before Hussein decided to switch Iraq's oil reserves to Euro's in the late 90's as the U.N authorized Iraq to begin trade again. Trust me.. their economy was so much better than it is now, we've done them no favors in that respect.
On the press.. let's see here. If 10 Soldiers were killed here in Atlanta this week but a school opened up which one do you think the media is going to run with? Probably the one that garners the most ratings.. which is going to be about the soldiers not the school, positive press doesn't sell.
It's the same reason why if I start a thread about something positive on this forum it will get a few views and no replies, but drama will have 20 pages of content. Do your part and turn the Tv off, write the producer about your feelings on what they put out there and if enough people do this you will see results.
I actually did turn the TV off at that point, because it made me realize what a waste of time it was. Lately my TV only gets turned on to watch a movie, or run a console.
As to your point about the media: I don't disagree. I don't expect them to portray anything in a positive light because it doesn't attract the kind of attention and response that negativity does. However, I was pointing out that they are sinking to what seems to me to be a new low by reporting what's sadly a common fact of life around the world as news on a major international news network.
And as to their economy: I dunno if you'd noticed, but there are very few economies in the world right now who can brag about having massive growth over the past 24 months, and not many more who can say they're still experiencing a positive trending in growth. Overall the world's economy is experiencing, at the least, a correction due in part at least to overinvestment in subprime mortgages. Betting on bad loans cost lots of people large sums of money they are now seeking to liquidate assets to cover. Iraq is no different there, since currently their economy is being funded by the steadily sinking USD, they're not exactly floating in cash right now. However the future looks sunny for them, since they primarily sell oil to nations to transact in EUD's rather than USD's. Their own weak currency combined with an export to a strong currency is what fueled European and Japanese growth through most of the last quarter century. While Iraq's economy had been recovering before, it still had an intense income disparity as a result of the political system in place there. Instead of looking like Saudi Arabia, Iraq has a chance to look more like some of it's more economically modern neighbors.
If they can stop bombing each other and get a government together first until then we just helped them go back another 50 years or so and they way its looking im betting a civil war is going to break out.
Brazil, Denmark (Both of which produce their own energy, Denmark is a welfare state too for those who don't believe in such a thing) Dubai, India, China, Vietnam has seen continuous growth in their economy. As I said before there is a ton of potential here in the U.S to turn things around in a legitimate way..
I don't have a crystal ball but if I was going to guess as to why Iraq's growth stunted early in this decade before the war it was due to low oil prices. (When we thought $1.20 a gallon was high) With oil prices as they are now and the solid Euro.. I'll go ahead and say that Iraq would be in a good position economically right now. Again.. this is just one hippie's opinion and not the gospel.
[QUOTE=tony]Brazil, Denmark (Both of which produce their own energy, Denmark is a welfare state too for those who don't believe in such a thing) Dubai, India, China, Vietnam has seen continuous growth in their economy. As I said before there is a ton of potential here in the U.S to turn things around in a legitimate way.. [\quote]
you need to compare apples to apples. The average 16y/o working at McD's makes more an hour than the average worker in all of those countries combined. Not to mention that 2 of the 4 are communist countries.
India's caste system is so entrenched that being born into a lower class family means you will not goto school, and you will live your life in the lower class. NOTHING you do with your life will change that.
[QUOTE=BanginJimmy]You're right, apples to apples would be comparing countries that are as technologically advanced as the U.S.. none of those I listed with maybe the exception of China compares on that level.. which makes their accomplishments that much more admirable.
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