![Welcome to Orange Frog Productions Owner Section [Banner]](images/owner/ofp_banner_owner.jpg)
Iraq Facts
by Bill Sanders - January 30, 2007
All external links last last verified 01/30/2007
Items on this page were researched by Bill Sanders (aka LYAO Editor or "-LE")
Each item in question is in a white box and listed first, followed by it's status, links to my sources (where I determined the fact was right, wrong, etc.), and any comments I might have on the subject in a light yellow box. ;-)
NOTE: This page Under Construction/Conversion
This page has not been completely converted to OFPv2 Standards.
When this is completed, this paragraph will go away.
Meanwhile, all external links on this page open a new window.
[Originally published in an email to my father, January 29, 2007.]
I got the following email (called "Did You Know?" - "Iraq Facts" is MY title) on January 28, 2007. I spent most of the day researching each fact in it, and found that it caused a number of discussions on the War in Iraq and the War on Terrorism. I hadn't even thought it something Snopes would have listed, until I found part of it in a Wiki, referencing them.
Snopes has done some research, but has is marked to be "Undetermined". Well, I found "proof" of the numbers given, most at the Department of Defense site listed in the email.
True? Well, if you believe the government. Lies? If you DON'T believe the government. Me? With the proliferation of radio and television news stations and organizations in the world, I find it extremely difficult to believe that the US government can produce a list of facts, and they be lies. SOMEONE would call them on it!
The problem noted in the email (that this type of thing is NOT being reported because it's POSITIVE), I DO believe has some basis. It's not a "feel-good" story, so it doesn't even come in as "fluff" to them. It's statistics. The problem with believing them to be lies is that statistics can be proven.
Just keep all that in mind while you're reading it, then read my piece afterward, which, while it doesn't really say much about the statistics and their veracity, but is more a response brought on by a discussion thread I ran into researching the piece.
UPDATE: February 08, 2007: Recently, a soldier was killed in Iraq, and the New York Times' embedded reporter and photographer/videographer were there. Apparently there was a video that accompanied the story, but a picture that ran with the story showed him being carried away by stretcher. Due to strict military rules for embedded reporters, they are to contact the family of a soldier killed in action before stories and pictures like this are published, and they may not have. The story points to the growing distrust between the families of soldiers in Iraq, the military and the press (especially the embedded press). See ABC News: Family, Military Upset Over Iraq Story New Window for more.
Another type of "Iraq Facts" - See my blog: Honors for Our Iraq War Heroes New Window
AKA: Do you know...? Iraq Facts (my title)
Did You Know?
Do you know? I didn't know! How could we?
Did you know that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
USDoD - American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005 [Probably more, now]
Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting that number. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
The U.S. Embassy and the Government of Iraq continue to address the issue of Iraqi unemployment, today, about 1.5 million Iraqis are employed under reconstruction efforts, working on schools, clinic, roads and numerous other infrastructure projects, and the overall national unemployment dropped in 2005 to 28% (as reported by COSIT) or 12-18% (as estimated by MNF-I).
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 new schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
In 2003 there were 14,731 kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools, most of which suffered from years of neglect by the Saddam regime, an insurgency intent on intimidating teachers and students, and the damage caused by war. Over the last three years nearly 6,000 of those schools have been renovated or undergone some form of rehabilitation.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
In 2003, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) consisted of 22 universities, 46 institutes or colleges within the Community College system, 2 commissions and 2 research centers. Since 2003, MHESR has, in addition to continuous work on its facilities and infrastructure that had been largely destroyed by war and looting, has been able to install nearly a dozen new colleges within its university system.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
None
Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
Current as of March 23, 2006
Current as of March 23, 2006 - "Iraq’s Navy is now operational with a Patrol Boat Squadron with five Predator-class Patrol Craft, an Assault Boat Squadron with 25 Fast Assault Boats (FABs), and a Marine battalion,.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
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?
Status: RIGHT, except for emphasized part
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
Current as of March 23, 2006
Iraq’s Air Force has five fully operational squadrons capable of conducting a variety of airlift, utility, intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The squadrons include one C-130 transport squadron, two ISR squadrons with CH2000, Compair, and Seeker aircraft, and two helicopter squadrons with UH-1s and Bell Jet Rangers. The IAF recently purchased 10 Mi17 Hip helicopters which will soon form another helicopter squadron.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
Current as of March 23, 2006
The Iraqi military was rebuilt from scratch since 2003. The Iraqi Army absorbed the Iraqi National Guard to form 10 Iraqi Army combat divisions. There are now 101 trained and equipped combat battalions in the Iraqi Army – all of them are in the fight. This includes a (Special Operations Forces) Counter-Terrorist battalion, a Commando battalion, and Strategic Infrastructure battalions. Most recently, the Counter-Terrorism battalion rescued a retired Iraqi Army Brigadier General who had been kidnapped and was going to be killed by his captors. Today, 49 Iraqi Army combat battalions, 13 Brigade headquarters, and two Division headquarters control their own battle space.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
Some 62,000 trained police were on duty as of late June 2005. To date, over 35,000 police recruits have completed the 8-week basic police classroom training, and more than 35,500 veteran police have received the 3-week Transition Integration Program (TIP) training.
Source:
Report to Congress / Measuring Stability and
Security in Iraq / July 2005
Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
"[T]here are 12 police training academies including 8 basic police academies that instruct the10-week basic training course, designed to better prepare the police for the challenging environment in which many will serve.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
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.
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
And as of December 29, 2004, 108,000 local Iraqis had been hired to work on those projects.
Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?
Status: DOUBTFUL
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
Regular immunization campaigns, and national immunization days aimed at children under age five and pregnant women have resulted in over 5 million children and 700,000 pregnant women being vaccinated against communicable diseases, including polio.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
I rated this one as doubtful, because in March, 2006, it says "5 million children", and I'm sure there are more than 5,200,000 children (the number needed to have 96% vaccinated with 5 million) in Iraq.
Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
Current as of March 23, 2006
With a 2006 budget of $1.9 million (up 66% from 2005), the ministry oversees more than 20,000 school sessions in over 14,731 school buildings, administrative offices, and educational facilities nationwide. The MoED provides the oversight and training needed to support 500,000 teachers in their work with 6.28-6.4 million K-12 students a 3-5% increase from 2003.
Source:
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM / THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY / PROGRESS FACT SHEET
Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
***
As of June 2005, there were 2.7 million active cell phone subscribers in Iraq. The number of internet subscribers more than doubled since June 2004, and the number of landline subscribers has increased as well.
Source:
Report to Congress / Measuring Stability and
Security in Iraq / July 2005
and as of August 31, 2005, there were 3.5 million active cell phone subscribers in Iraq.
Source:
Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq - October
2005 (Report to Congress)
Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
- Could not find anything quoting those numbers. HOWEVER, see my comments.
Comment(s):
[T]here are now 44 commercial television stations, 72 commercial radio stations, and more than 100 independent newspapers and magazines that represent all points of Iraq’s political spectrum.
Source:
Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq - October
2005 (Report to Congress)
Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?
Status: RIGHT
Source(s):
Comment(s):
American Forces Press Service / WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005
Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?
OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!
WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW? OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!
Tragically, 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.
It is intended to discourage American citizens.
The above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site: http://www.defenselink.mil/
The above email was UNDETERMINED according to Urban Legends Reference Pages (Snopes): Did You Know This?
[Part of the above was apparently quoted from one or all of the following:
- January 28, 2005 -
BellowSequence.com - Accentuating the Negative
(says it's from the Department of Defense article titled "Iraq Year in Review - 2004 Fact Sheet", and includes all of the above facts and more) - March 18, 2005 - Fort Carson, CO - The Mountain Post - user page: Mountainee (only contains a few of the above facts)
- August 24, 2005 - More Iraq information - GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars (appears to contain all of the above facts and more, claiming "I've compiled this from various news sources")
Supposedly each fact is debunked, point-by-point at:
- October 9, 2005, at The "good news" about Iraq debunked. (eternalhope.blog-city.com)
***
As an example of one of the many discussions caused, I include the following:
After someone posted the original email as questions (instead of "Do you know..." it asked "Isn't it true...") at In Iraq, isn’t it true that . . . | [Fayetteville, GA] The Citizen Online
another reader posted:
Smells like Victory
Submitted by [removed] on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 11:17am.
Great. Let's declare victory & Support Our Troops...Bring'm Back Alive.
This was responded to thusly:
In Iraq No. II
Submitted by [removed] on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 11:11am.
David: Usually those who just want to look at good stuff in a situation like Iraq and Afghanistan (or just as much good as bad) do not have anyone there that they know, to be maimed or killed. They have the philosophy that if their political beliefs are being met that any means justifies a POSSIBLE end. Nearly 3000 dead and nearly 20,000 maimed doesn't register with them very much. This has been going on now going on Five (5), Cinco, years, for goodness sake. I think many of such people would let it go to 20,000 dead and 140,000 wounded! Mistakes should be able to be recognized from 2001 until now.
Another reader (apparently a retired Army Major), replied to THIS with:
Let every nation know
Submitted by [removed] on Wed, 07/26/2006 - 12:07pm.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy
Boy times sure have changed! Maybe they haven't. After this man was killed his successors bowed to public pressure and abandoned Vietnam. The result, there were almost twice as many casualties in Southeast Asia (primarily Cambodia) the first two years after the fall of Saigon in 1975 then there were during the ten years the U.S. was involved in Vietnam.
Do you really want that to happen again?
Of course, this deteriorated into name-calling, rather than actual discussion.
Photos from Iraq:
Commentary
First of all... Are the statistics shown in the original email, or even the numbers that I found, huge numbers? Not necessarily. Is all of the rebuilding and refurbishing caused by the war, itself? No. Saddam militarized the Ba'ath Party in Iraq and found that if the non-Ba'athist population was suppressed and kept from having all they needed, they were easier to control. Education is a danger to many despots. The more people learn, the more they want to control their own destinies. Let schools deteriorate. Let the rural people live in mud huts and remain illiterates. Did we damage SOME schools and hospitals? I'm sure. Still, I don't doubt that much of the rebuilding is because they were never maintained by Saddam's government.
MY take? We're doing what we SHOULD be doing, and what we FAILED to do in a couple of prior wars... FINISHING WHAT WE STARTED. And, from everything I've read, the majority of the Iraqi people, while they don't necessarily like us being there, are glad we are, and would prefer we don't leave until they can handle the insurgents and protection of their country themselves.
Whether you believe the war in Iraq is just or not, if we leave now, we will end up with ANOTHER country turned over to the bad guys of the world (Communists, Radical Islamics, others). Anyone remember Korea? (Left with help guarding the border between North & South Korea... Now North Korea, who wanted to make South Korea THEIR brand of Communists, are threatening with Atomic Weapons!) Vietnam? (see above... I did not verify his facts, but have no reason at all to doubt them in any way... If you can prove either way, with REAL sources, let me know.)
Does anyone remember that we HELPED (read "paid and trained" and supplied by America) bin Laden to lead the Mujahadeen (Taliban insurgents) against the Russians in Afghanistan? But by the Rules of Engagement (it was supposed to be covert) at the time, we left, leaving him and his cohorts to fight their own battles. Hmmm... Ever think that could be a good part of what originally pissed bin Laden off against us? Seems I recall we helped in other countries, too, then left them alone. How 'bout Iran (before Carter was Pres?) Hell, even Saddam!
And does anyone else think it's ironic that ONE of the claims bin Laden and the radical Islamics have against us - it being "infidels" (unbelievers - read non-Muslim) or “foreigners on Islamic soil” WHAT? Haven't historians pretty much PROVED that some of the well-known lands those in the Christian Holy Bible are Islamic lands? (Iraq, Iran and the surrounding area?) That this land is Holy to us Christians, too!
Haven't they also proved that Muslims and Christians believe pretty much the same thing, except Christians believe Jesus and the Son of God, while Muslims believe Jesus to simply be a Prophet? (Well, I guess there IS that passage that the radicals quote all the time about converting or killing all infidels... But, if I recall, isn't there a passage or two in Christian text/doctrine about us doing the same to non-believers? It's just that we've decided that that was for the people of the time, not for the current world.)
Look... You got a complaint, air it out... You got a grudge, tell us about it (heck, one of our (white) presidents even publicly apologized to all blacks for bringing their ancestors over from Africa and enslaving them. This happened well over 100 years ago.) Hell... Join the "Lawsuit Generation" and sue us (the US) for your grievances. It will make the press, and others will find out what your REAL complaint against us is.
And remember, don't fault all Christians or US Citizens because you blame some. Not everyone agrees with the administration (right, Dems?), and we've already proved that you can have deep rifts in philosophy, but still get along. (Many of the members of congress, no matter which "side of the aisle" they're from, are friends, or can become friends. Haven't George Bush I and Bill Clinton, and many others proved that?)
For those of you with different views on the war, have you never heard the phrase "Divide and Conquer?" Ever think that bin Laden and his cronies, and all the other terrorist organizations KNOW this tactic? ... KNOW the vast American public do NOT like seeing their soldiers blown up by suicide bombers? (How many of them are there, anyway? GEEZE!) ... That they might be able to force us out, not by their overwhelming might, but because "public opinion" and the deep political rifts caused by the continuing war will cause a new, "softer" president, who will pull us out of the Middle East?
Now, you Americans who believe we should just pull out... You don't think the insurgents will try to shoot us in the back? You don't believe the terrorists (Al Qaeda, etc.) will attack our friends (Europe? Israel? Heck, Canada, HERE?) They won't attack our economy? (Cut off that oil, and America will at the very least slow down a BUNCH! No gas, no transpiration, no goods being shipped cross-country, no planes in the air... They will all cost WAY to much for the "average" American.) I do, and they'll have the economic power to do so, if we just leave without protecting the oil-rich nations. True, we should work toward clean, renewable fuel sources, and wean ourselves from this dependency. That's been said for YEARS. Hopefully, seeing how fragile things are over there, and with the quick rise in fuel costs after Katrina - we need to keep THOSE in mind - we will finally have the incentive to keep these programs going.
Whatever your beliefs, don't EVER let what happened to our pride in our US forces in Vietnam happen again. Those soldiers are HEROES. They are fighting for that for which America stands - LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. The majority of them believe our cause is just, want to stay, and many want to return even after devastating injuries, especially after seeing the atrocities of Saddam's reign and the way he kept the populous poor and unable to do anything about it, first-hand. They are an all-volunteer military, and they are STILL volunteering to protect your and others' freedoms. God Bless them all.
Is the war just? I guess history will decide that. It's just that America has become a nation of "Give it to me NOW" people.
Should we "pull out"? Again, we did that in Vietnam and other places, leaving the majority of the population to the bad guys to do with as they please. As it is, most of them have converged on the area, rather than coming to the US or our friends' countries. Add to that the danger to our, and many friendly nations' economies, and "getting out" hopefully becomes less attractive to the thinking person.
Will we ever "win" the "War on Terror"? Probably not. They are too willing to die, and any "diplomacy" will be fraught with lies and prevarications, but we can keep them in remote regions, if we, as a country and a world, are only willing to.
by
Bill Sanders © January
30, 2007 - email:
Send email to Bill Sanders
()
with questions or comments about this page or site.
This site, all text and graphics (unless otherwise noted) on it
were designed, developed and published by Bill Sanders of Orange Frog Productions.
It and it's CSS was validated and complies with both the:
CSS and
HTML 4.01
validators from W3C.
NOTE: All CSS validates except the "New Window Buttons"
which include some invalid code (ie: hacks),
added PicoSearch Tables,
and warnings for using transparent backgrounds when color foregrounds defined.
Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 by Bill Sanders / Full site last modified: October 21, 2006
Any reproduction, printing, or selling of this content is
prohibited without express written consent from William D.
Sanders.
