Did you Know?

Interesting tidbits from Iraq

Published on March 4, 2005 By Dr Guy In Current Events

Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?

Did you know that the Iraqi currently government employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5- 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a navel infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational
squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent televised debate recently?

OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?-OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at presidential motorcades. The lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes. It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States thus minimizing consequent support, and it is intended to discourage American citizens.

Comments (Page 1)

Larry Kuperman

on Mar 04, 2005

Excellent, excellent post. You get my insightful vote.

Gonzo

on Mar 04, 2005

Did you know providing a link(s) to this information makes you sound more credible?

Dr Guy

on Mar 04, 2005

Did you know providing a link(s) to this information makes you sound more credible?

Check out the DOD website. Or Google it. Do youknow how?

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 04, 2005

Excellent post. Sounds like they might be close to being stable, though, which means we NEED to begin hearing the words "exit strategy" from our leaders!

Dr Guy

on Mar 04, 2005

Excellent post. Sounds like they might be close to being stable, though, which means we NEED to begin hearing the words "exit strategy" from our leaders!

I think we will starting this summer. While dailyi bombings and killings continue to occur, the Iraqis are starting to take more and more of the day to day running of their country upon themselves.

Moderateman

on Mar 04, 2005

yeh yeh yeh!! wheres the w.m.d.'s................. lmao.. thanx doc , and yes i did know all this.. but thanx for posting it.

Dr Guy

on Mar 04, 2005

yeh yeh yeh!! wheres the w.m.d.'s..................

Shhh! Dont tell anyone, but I made a deal with Saddam! I sold them to North Korea back in 95!

cactoblasta

on Mar 04, 2005

I can't believe they've got an airforce already. Where are they getting the funds to pay for that? I wasn't aware their taxation system was so well reestablished.

I do feel sorry for those police officers though; it must be humiliating to have to do training again, especially when it's only 8 weeks worth.

But my natural cynicism aside, it's good news from a part of the world we've previously only heard bad news from. I just hope Iraq can afford the debt that must be mounting up with such an ambitious rebuilding program.

Mid-America Conservative

on Mar 05, 2005

I haven't bought an L A Times or N Y Times in twenty years. Last year I stopped watching ABC, CBS and NBC news. The left-leaning "America is bad" crowd is losing more and more readers and audience. The sooner they all run out of money and collapse, the better.

Dr Guy

on Mar 05, 2005

I do feel sorry for those police officers though; it must be humiliating to have to do training again, especially when it's only 8 weeks worth.

that is SOP in almost all civilized places. Here in the US as well. They are not Rangers, just the cop on the beat.

Dr Guy

on Mar 05, 2005

As have I. The last straw was 9-11 and Peter jennings. Yes, I read CNN, MSNBC and Fox on line, but I dont watch any news other than the weather channel.

Hyperborean Wanderer

on Mar 06, 2005

I did know some of this, just not all the statistical numbers. What I know from first-hand experience is that the citizens of Baghdad, particularly since the elections, have been generally very supportive of the US forces here. The locals that I have come into contact with are friendly and helpful, and relationships between the soldiers and the civilians have been growing steadily more poisitive over the last year. Once the new government feels secure enough, we may be asked to leave, but the possibilitry exists that they may ask us to stick around as allies for a long time. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

couchman

on Mar 06, 2005

good article...some of it I had heard or read here or there...some I didnt......and with the recent events in the mid-east...from Syria feeling the weight of the world calling for them to leave Lebanon..finally to Egypt and Saudi Arabia moving towards elections..if even on a limited scale....we may have reached the end of the beginning .....but like everything one needs to temper whats going n with guarded optimism.....

Furry Canary

on Mar 06, 2005

'Check out the DOD website. Or Google it. Do youknow how?'
So 'our media' has an agenda, but the Department of Defence doesn't. Isn't that just a little naive?

joeKnowledge

on Mar 06, 2005

WOW
I didn't know any of these things. When it comes to the news, well, they just want to play on stuff that is drama. Telling everybody the world is safe and look at this rose that grew in the garden today won't cut it.

This is why I would love a non-for profit news agentcy. lets see what it runs.
good article.

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