The Best And Brightest

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said in London this week that Iraq's infrastructure turned out to be in "far worse shape" than expected, with parts of the country below Third World standards.

Uh, gee, Condi, you don't think that could have anything to do with a decade of the most punitive sanctions regime in history? Before the Gulf War, 87% of Iraqis had access to clean water, and 93% had access to free health care. You don't suppose there could be the smallest correlation between the arrival on the scene of the Americans and the degradation of the country's infrastructure?

But having gotten here, how to fix it? No problemo.

"The food production and distribution systems will need to be overhauled, moving them from a system of price controls and rationing to one based on free markets and individual choice.

"The commercial needs, the commercial regime will need to be revamped in order to encourage trade, promote investments and facilitate private enterprise."

You see, because these methods have been such a miraculous panacea for every other Third World country adhering at gun-point to IMF/World Bank strictures.

Posted by Eddie Tews at June 30, 2003 11:21 AM