The press infrequently runs news stories anywhere to say that things are running in an average way. Stories like that sound too much like day-to-day life. We all have access to that. Stories of hardship, screw-up, crime, and heroism large and small are the ones that sell. Oh, and sex.

No one should be surprised that there are few (I don't want to say "no") stories on Iraqi hospitals that run now. That's what they're supposed to do. If the Administration wants a story like that, it can gather statistics and develop one. "On this date, x number of Iraqis had their water service interrupted due to hostilities. Today, y number of Iraqis have had this service restored by American engineers. Total number of people being served: y + Iraqis who suffered no interruption of service, z% of the Iraqi population. x-y group's problems include [list]; Iraqis with American support and assistance, are working to correct these issues thus: blah blah mine fields blah blah inaccessible blah blah contaminated by sewage blah blah harsh climate..." Include pictures of small Iraqi children cavorting at a pool or under an open hydrant or something. And so on. With electricity. With public health institutions. With other infrastructure. This is what we found. This is how we fixed it. It will mean a lot of fixing, but that's the idea, isn't it? We went in to fix Iraq?

Iraqi social problems will not be ours to solve. Infrastructure maintenance and repair is crucial to the success of the stated aim -- democracy and justice in the region -- and more to the point, is right up our alley.

I understand your point about the electrical supplies in Baghdad. Please understand that the residents of Baghdad are the focus of the concern, not whether or not we look good. When they count on their fingers, they get 5 months, and the counting begins when the power went out. That is, when we arrived.

This Administration was not ready for the aftermath of the war. Period. You can't say the word "nationbuilding" and have it become so. There has to be a careful, detailed, meticulous and flexible plan. It's painfully obvious that there is none. Post-combat was a punt.

This is one of the things the Left was saying all along, and the Right consistantly denied it. The Left was right, the Right was wrong, the Right is shifting the blame to the Left for being right because they have to be mad at someone, and they can't be mad at their boy George.

So, what next is the question? Give the President what he wants? Did that. Not pleased with the results.

Nevertheless, having blown holes in their country, we owe the Iraqis something now. Let's figure out what it is -- lights on in Baghdad would be a good thing -- set it up, give them the 800 number to call for help, and get the hell out of there. We can patrol their borders for them to keep the Iranians at bay. They don't want us, and the longer we stay, the more we will become the new imperial power in a region that is historically quite a bit more used to empire than to democracy.

Regards--
Mary Anne