September 2, 2005

While there is no electricity or clean water in most of Iraq, Iraqis must be immensely gratified at the achievements of USAID reconstruction programs - particularly the last one in the list below. This is clearly going to put a dent in the 60% + unemployment in the country!

USAID Highlights:
- Several water projects in Fallujah have been completed despite the difficulties of working in a conflict area.
- Public education on the Constitutional Process enters the next stage.
- In coordination with the Iraqi Ministry of Health (MOH), USAID implementing partners, including UNICEF, launched an emergency polio immunization campaign to prevent the resurgence of the disease.
- USAID trained 183 Iraqis in beekeeping basics (emphasis added) in an effort to help vulnerable groups gain a sustainable income. The relatively inexpensive costs of maintaining an apiary and the sustainable income produced from its products makes beekeeping an ideal income generator for populations with few options.
Iraq Reconstruction Update #41 has been posted to the USAID web site August 11, 2005

This is a news item that is currently being 'independently' verified in Baghdad:

"Reports are emanating from Iraqis who are working with the Americans, (both at the Baghdad International airport and in the Green Zone), of a mutiny that had occurred among the American soldiers against their officers. (emphasis added)
Three days ago, one American soldier went into hysterics upon hearing of the death of the three members of his family in New Orleans.
Corporal Nick Lancer shouted:"This is the curse of Iraq. My family paid for my crimes in Iraq. Send us back to help our families. God damn you Bush and Rumsfeld".
Matters escalated when an officer tried, by force, to calm Lancer down. Lancer was then joined by other soldiers who started to beat the officer. The fighting escalated when other officers tried to intervene in the melee and the soldiers began attacking and hitting them with their riffle butts. This included the beating of Iraqi senior army officers who attempted to help the American officers.
The soldiers were shouting:"You scoundrels. We will throw you out to the Resistance to kill you. It is because of you that we are getting killed here".
At one point, one of the soldiers radioed other fellow soldiers, who were out on patrols, to stop their mission and to return quickly to join them."
Mutiny among occupation soldiers September 2, 2005 (in Arabic). The specific location of the disturbance was not specified. Awaiting further confirmation.