IRAQ AND POVERTY

By Abdujabbar al-Samarrai

Azzaman, June 22, 2005

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=opinion\2005-06-22\10418.htm

QUOTE:

Those attending the current key aid conference about Iraq in Brussels will need to answer the question why Iraqis are now poorer than before the U.S.-led invasion of their country.

In the local newspapers we read about billions and billions of dollars gathered from oil sales, Iraqi frozen funds released after the fall of Saddam Hussein and U.S. and other countries’ contributions.

However, Iraqis have less food, less electricity, less job opportunities, less clean water and worsening health conditions.

In practice, the government has almost stopped offering public services and amenities that are available in some of the world’s most impoverished countries.

Even the food rationing system which has helped millions of households stave off starvation is beginning to collapse with families not getting basic food stuffs like flour, sugar and rice for months.