The Good News From Iraq thread

[USN_Squid]

“Iraq’s per capita income had fallen from around $4,200 per person in 1980, which at the time was higher than Spain, to $500 per person in March 2003, he said. Today it stands at $1,200 - ‘a significant advancement in a very short time,’ Speckhard said.

“Speckhard pointed out that Iraq now has a free press, more than 2,000 Internet cafes, and more than 5 million cell phone users - up from virtually zero in 2003. All of these things help connect Iraq to the outside world in ways that it never was before, providing freedom and opportunities for Iraqi citizens,’ he said.

“In addition, more than 30,000 Iraqi businesses have been registered in the past year alone, he said.

“If you look out into the streets, …you’ll see a very vibrant economy,’ Speckhard said. ‘People (are) buying consumer and durable goods - refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, and so forth.”

http://www.noendbutvictory.com/?p=350

[leejo]

A bit gritty, but working the problem: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...d/3762429.html

[USN_Squid]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians agreed Friday to nominate Jawad al-Maliki as prime minister, replacing the incumbent in a bid to clear the way for a long-delayed new government.

Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties later agreed on nominees to fill the other top government posts of government, Shiite lawmaker Ridha Jawad Taqi said. The quick agreement was an indication that the minority groups were ready to accept al-Maliki’s nomination in what would be a breakthrough in efforts to form a national unity government.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12422542/from/RS.1/

[USN_Squid]

On 16 April, Task Force 145 nearly captured Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, carrying out a raid on an al-Qaeda safehouse in Yusifiyah and killed five terrorists, three of them wearing suicide bomber vests, and captured five others. Unknown at the time of the raid was that Task Force 145 was just a thousand yards from Zarqawi's location. This information, which appeared in an Army Times (H/T: Bill Roggio) article this weekend, was likely obtained through interrogations of the five captured al Qaeda fighters in this raid.

The rest of the article goes on to highlight other TF145 operations. Good stuff.

[houdini]

Great idea Leejo!

Here's a blog I read on occasion. They've taken the mantle of a "Good News from Iraq" piece started by another blogger a while ago.

Winds of Change.net

The link is directly to their Iraq category, and contains some nice insights on the goings on, etc.

[Eggplant999]

This is a horrible thread. Every discussion should have balance, this does not. Besides, if you guys are actually classifying these as good things, are you saying that all the soldiers, iraqi soldiers, iraqi police, and iraqi civilian's lives were worth these goods? If you can be honest with yourself and give a yes answer to that question... then that's your opinion.

Closing that other thread I don't understand,

"Just a reminder that Tactical Gamer requires respect for others in the Sandbox. Disagreements are welcome, debate is encouraged, but personal insults are not tolerated. Anyone who demonstrates his or her inability to handle the liberties allowed in this one forum will lose the privilege of posting in the Sandbox. "

[CingularDuality]

Originally Posted by Eggplant999

This is a horrible thread. Every discussion should have balance, this does not.

Because TacticalGamer at least pretends to have a little bit of class.

The other thread was closed because it lacked that.

From that thread:

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

Let's get something straight right now. Just because someone here promotes racial understanding does not mean that we're going to allow KKK propaganda in the name of balance.

So, if having every single discussion balanced with someone supporting an opposing point of view is what you want, you're in the wrong place. TacticalGamer supports lively and respectful discussion, but there are certainly limits.

[Apophis]

Originally Posted by Eggplant999

This is a horrible thread. Every discussion should have balance, this does not. Besides, if you guys are actually classifying these as good things, are you saying that all the soldiers, iraqi soldiers, iraqi police, and iraqi civilian's lives were worth these goods? If you can be honest with yourself and give a yes answer to that question... then that's your opinion.

This is a great thread. It's a place for people to share POSITIVE events occuring in Iraq rather than focusing on all the negative. If you want something to balance it out and report only the negative aspects and ignore any advancements, turn on CNN or read any other number of posts in the sandbox. But keep your negativity out of this one.

[USN_Squid]

New Iraq Ministers Sworn In

The ministers, for national security and interior, were sworn in after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced the death of al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

The new defense minister is Iraqi Army Gen. Abdul-Qader Mohammed Jassim al-Mifarji and Shiites Jawad al-Bolani for interior and Sherwan al-Waili for national security.

The posts are considered crucial for al-Maliki's government to implement a plan allowing Iraqi forces to take over security from the U.S.-led coalition within 18 months, opening the way for the eventual withdrawal of foreign troops. The appointments end a stalemate among Iraq's religious and ethnic groups over the crucial posts.

[Trooper]

good addition Squid, great to see some moving forward with their government how they want it, even with all the crap going on around them.

[Kerostasis]

In reference to some of the (old) posts about what counts as "good" news, and what qualifies for this thread:

It would seem to me that any Iraqi political debate that doesn't involve someone getting killed is good news, even if they don't agree with the policies of the current Iraqi government. After all, isn't the whole point of democracy supposed to be giving them a way to debate without using violence?

[Lucky Shot]

Thought this was a telling clip from the Glenn Beck Show...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ih7g5MY_WQM

Lucky Shot

[Switchcraft]

I thought this was notable:


Iraqi military units taking the lead in security.

[USN_Squid]

http://www.defenselink.mil/home/dodu...ers/index.html

[War.mongeR1]

Originally Posted by Lucky Shot

Thought this was a telling clip from the Glenn Beck Show...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ih7g5MY_WQM

Lucky Shot

Great link! Why isn't this ever shouted out on the news? It must be due to the sensationalist press who only likes to talk about death and destruction. And for those who don't like this thread...too bad. We understand all the bad things that have happened in Iraq. I admit, things can get pretty hairy there. But it is all too rare that we hear of the many many good things that have happened there. I've heard some great stories from troops I've airlifted back and forth from the desert, and I've never heard any of them say anything remotely close to what we are constantly bombarded with by the media.

Thanks for starting this thread!