The Good News from Iraq

There's a theory that the "mainstream media" is controlled by evil liberals who only tell the bad news about Iraq, in an effort to discredit Bush and force the US to withdraw. You have to be living in Lower East Wingnuttia to believe this theory, but let's have a look anyway. With no further ado, the good news from Iraq:

Iraqi Water Systems to Be Rehabilitated
The work will also train local operators on site in the
technology and maintenance of the water systems

by LuAnne Fantasia
Gulf Region Division - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 18, 2005 — Three governorates will soon see an upgrade in treated potable water, according to an announcement today by a team of Iraqi and U.S. government entities.

From the $18.4 billion allocated for the total Iraq Reconstruction Program, about $3 million is budgeted to bring treated potable water to approximately 25,000 Iraqi citizens in the Dahuk, Babylon, and Wassit governorates. The projects will upgrade 15 systems each, including water wells, compact potable water treatment plants and pumps.

The contracts were competed and awarded to local Iraqi contractors, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers providing quality assurance oversight. Each of the 15 sites will daily employ approximately 20 Iraqi laborers.


The work will also train local operators on site in the technology and maintenance of the water systems. Completion dates for the 15 projects vary, but all are scheduled to be finished by January 2006.

At the time of transfer of sovereignty in June 2004, there were just over 200 reconstruction projects started in Iraq. As of mid-August, 2,738 projects have started -valued at about $6.5 billion. Currently 1,090 projects are ongoing at a program value of about $4.5 billion, and 1,648 projects are completed-valued at about $2 billion.

See? You couldn't even finish the whole thing. The reason the media isn't reporting the "good news" is that a potable water project just isn't that interesting. Not when you compare it with all the death and destruction going on. Not even if "Luanne Fantasia" writes it up.