| The plot for "Iraqi sovereignty" was simply a ploy to put an altruistic face on the Iraq occupation and to buy time while the administration continues to carve up the spoils and hopes the situation improves. |
| Iraqi Farmers Threatened by Bremer's Mandates. It's part of the untold story of the disastrous effort to make Iraq into a neo-con's free-market dream. Order 81 issued by Paul Bremer "made it illegal for Iraqi farmers to reuse seeds harvested from new varieties registered under the law." Iraqi farmers were forced away from traditional methods to a system of patented seeds, where they can't grow crops without paying a licensing fee to an American corporation.
Source: "Happy Media Accountability Day! " by Molly Ivins - Creators Syndicate - 09.20.05 How telling is it that as now-former Viceroy Paul Bremer leaves Iraq, 14 separate, permanent US military bases are under construction, the new "government" has no control over 130,000 foreign troops in its country, and the CIA-friendly new "prime minister," a thuggish former Iraqi intelligence official under Saddam who murdered and car-bombed across Europe in the '60s and '70s, is now threatening to suspend a constitution that didn't exist two months ago? The fact that Washington now claims to be washing its hands of a land where US soldiers will still die tomorrow -- probably quite a few of them -- is an interesting PR and legal move. Nothing more. It means George Bush can point to a promise improbably kept, and it means his Iraqi puppets now have four months to auction off Iraq's assets to Bush's corporate buddies before their sugar daddy is (hopefully) booted from office. Source: "The Baghdad Vichy - Surprise early handover of power in Iraq is sad concession that nothing will change" by Geov Parrish - WorkingForChange.com - 06.29.04 According to a Washington Post reporter who shared a flight with [Paul Bremer III, the head of the C.P.A.] last June, "Bremer discussed the need to privatize government-run factories with such fervor that his voice cut through the din of the cargo hold." Plans for privatization were eventually put on hold. But as he prepared to leave Iraq, Mr. Bremer listed reduced tax rates, reduced tariffs and the liberalization of foreign-investment laws as among his major accomplishments. Insurgents are blowing up pipelines and police stations, geysers of sewage are erupting from the streets, and the electricity is off most of the time — but we've given Iraq the gift of supply-side economics. Still, given Mr. Bremer's economic focus, you might at least have expected his top aide for private-sector development to be an expert on privatization and liberalization in such countries as Russia or Argentina. But the job initially went to Thomas Foley, a Connecticut businessman and Republican fund-raiser with no obviously relevant expertise. In March, Michael Fleischer, a New Jersey businessman, took over. Yes, he's Ari Fleischer's brother. Mr. Fleischer told The Chicago Tribune that part of his job was educating Iraqi businessmen: "The only paradigm they know is cronyism. We are teaching them that there is an alternative system with built-in checks and built-in review." Let's say the obvious. By making Iraq a playground for right-wing economic theorists, an employment agency for friends and family, and a source of lucrative contracts for corporate donors, the administration did terrorist recruiters a very big favor. Source: "Who Lost Iraq?" By PAUL KRUGMAN - New York Times - June 29, 2004 From the perspective of the average Iraqi (or middle easterner for that matter), what changes on June 30 (June 28…whatever)? Before June 28 -- A military occupation by a foreign country involving around 130,000 soldiers. After June 28 -- A military occupation by a foreign country involving around 130,000 soldiers. Before June 28 -- A puppet government hand picked by a foreign occupying power. (Remember too that before 1991, Saddam Hussein was a puppet government supported by the US.) After June 28 -- A puppet government hand picked by a foreign occupying power. Before June 28 -- It is unsafe to walk the streets because of the lack of security. After June 28 -- It is unsafe to walk the streets because of the lack of security. Before June 28 -- Basic services (clean water, electricity, sewage, etc.) are erratic or unavailable. After June 28 -- Basic services (clean water, electricity, sewage, etc.) are erratic or unavailable. Before June 28 -- Control of Iraq's natural resources (I.e. oil reserves) is divided among US corporations. After June 28 -- Control of Iraq's natural resources (I.e. oil reserves) is divided among US corporations. |
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