This article contains one item that I think is an unqualified piece of good news: Attacks Force Retreat From Wide-Ranging Plans for Iraq Washington Post 12/28/03.
An unwillingness to assume other risks has also scuttled, at least temporarily, plans to overhaul a national food rationing program that was a cornerstone of Hussein's welfare state. Several senior officials want to replace monthly handouts of flour, cooking oil, beans and other staples -- received by more than 90 percent of Iraqis -- with a cash payment of about $15. Although the proposal has the enthusiastic support of economic conservatives in the occupation authority, concerns about the logistics have put the effort on hold.
"It's a great idea that the academics thought up, but it wasn't in tune with the political realities," said a U.S. official familiar with discussions of the issue. "We have to look at what we gain versus what we risk. Right now, we don't need to be adding any more challenges to those we already have."
This was always an insane plan, to scuttle a program that was successfully keeping people fed right in the middle of winter. It's crack-brained schemes like that one that gives credibility to the nickname Steve Gilliard has hung on Bremer's occupation authority, "Young Republicans Abroad."
Appointing Republican hacks to staff the CPA who can't speak Arabic and who don't know jack about Iraq or the Middle East, was bound to lead to ridiculous ideas like that. "Let's apply 'economic shock-treatment' to the food distribution system in the middle of winter during a nasty insurgency in a country with 60% unemployment!" Only some Republican free-market zealot could have come up with a fool idea like that. The fact that Viceroy Jerry Bremer actually planned to implement it is truly frightening.
No comments:
Post a Comment