Iraq's Power Woes Becoming Pressing Issue

[Barrett808]

Iraq's Power Woes Becoming Pressing Issue
By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents are stepping up attacks on Iraq's fragile infrastructure even as the U.S. pumps in billions of dollars to rebuild it. But with electricity in Baghdad flowing at less than half prewar levels and a scorching summer ahead, many Iraqis see the struggle to ensure adequate power as a metaphor for a U.S.-led reconstruction mission gone bad.

"We've seen nothing but empty promises," shopkeeper Raad Ghalib said, pausing to open a warm freezer reeking from 65 pounds of meat trashed after one long outage.

Restoring stable electricity supplies is widely considered a benchmark of progress for Iraq's American rulers since they toppled Saddam Hussein's regime in April 2003. But the U.S. struggle to turn the lights on — and keep them on — hasn't been easy. Every step forward seems followed by another step back.

On June 3, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resuscitated a turbine at northwest Iraq's 660 megawatt Haditha hydroelectric dam, marking the first time it operated at full power since 1990.

A few days later, insurgents bombed a pipeline fueling the 700 megawatt Musayyib power plant south of Baghdad, cutting its capacity in half, said Hamid al-Suri, an Electricity Ministry spokesman.

Saboteurs struck again Wednesday in central Iraq, blowing up another pipeline at Beiji, forcing a 10 percent cut on the national grid.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040611/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_power_struggle&cid=540&ncid=1480

[samhonk]

1. There's plenty of electricity -

It's just all being used to shock prisoners' private parts.

[daa]

2. How can that be??

Chimpy said on May 1 there is MORE electricity.

Contrary to US President George Bush's recent statement that electricity in Iraq "is now more widely available than before the war," Iraqi officials say the power supply in their country has not yet been repaired to pre-war levels. Bush made the claim in his May 1, 2004 speech commemorating the one-year anniversary of the "mission accomplished" address he delivered from aboard the USS Lincoln.

[Tansy_Gold]

3. How can that be? Easy

He lied.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Well, just as Saddam wanted WMD

and that justified the invasion, so Chimpy wants more electricity. And that's good enough for him. If you're really lucky, you might find a plan or two for more electricity, buried in Colin Powell's back garden to hide it from the Pentagon.

[daleo]

4. Sounds like last summer, or worse

There is a lesson in here, about political legitimacy (or at least acquiescence) and technological infrastructure - the latter depends on the former.

[dArKeR]

6. I've repeatedly listened to Media Whores and GOP officials say the

electricity in Iraq is on and back to normal. I'm sure Junior has also said this over the past year several times. Another one for Franken and Media Matters.



111F/43C in Nasiriyah. Do you know where Bush is murdering your children?

ALL citizens and ALL corporations who donate to Bush are immoral and will NEVER make it to Heaven.
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/IZXX0007.html

Pretzel Brain Bicycle
http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/pretzelbrain.htm
http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[struggle4progress]

7. kick

:kick: