It's a thin line between democratic dissent and insurrection. Unless the 
Iraqi government does respond to legitimate complaints it would be easy to 
see one slide into the other.

After so much money has been poured into Iraq under American occupation it 
is quite simply suprising that so little seems to have improved with respect 
to fundamental infrastructure. A key element of winning hearts and minds is 
giving people the basics they need to survive on. Had the Americans achieved 
that they could have claim at least a "victory", albeit with a small "v". It 
seems instead that America will leave Iraq with some saying there has been 
no improvement in their circumstances at all.

Some may wonder where the trillions of dollars of US tax payer's money spent 
on Iraq actually went, why the infrastructure could not be improved during 
the many years of occupation ?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,563600,00.html?test=latestnews

<quotes>

BAGHDAD  -  Hundreds took to the streets Saturday throughout Iraq to demand 
open elections and improved public services, revealing growing discontent 
among Iraqis with the pace of reconstruction more than six years after the 
U.S.-led invasion.

About 200 demonstrators took to the streets in central Baghdad, chanting: 
"No water, no electricity in the country of oil and the two rivers," 
referring to Iraq's ancient name.

The lack of clean water and electricity could prove to be an issue in next 
January's national elections for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has 
campaigned on the issue of improved security. In recent days, al-Maliki has 
begun speaking publicly about increasing funding for reconstruction.

</quotes>

"The Happy Hippy"  wrote in
news:ma3Am.1678$KR3.1200@text.news.virginmedia.com: 

[Snips]
> Some may wonder where the trillions of dollars of US tax payer's money
> spent on Iraq actually went, why the infrastructure could not be
> improved during the many years of occupation ?

See, this is where it's useful to understand the fundamental principles of 
defence procurement, both in the UK and the USA.  US procurement is not 
quite as lamentably dreadfaul as that in the UK, and they have lots more 
money to waste in the first place.  Still, in both countries, the Golden 
Rule is that the defence procurement organisation is very, very good at 
spending money, and very, very bad at getting anything worthwhile for the 
money spent.

Of course, with PFI bandits like Blackwater helping to spend the money, 
this is even truer than it was before.

All the best,

John.
-- 
In what method shall we implement the matrix of this government display 
picnic?
-- Bill Bailey