qzee Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Sorry if this has already been posted. Not such a rosy picture. What do you think? http://app.response.stratfor.com/e/es.aspx?s=1483&e=306465&elq=96bc258341c84d66b8efab833fd09742 We've made this special report available below for our preferred free readers. To access all analysis, all of the time, join STRATFOR with this special offer. Raw Intelligence Report: Conditions in Baghdad June 13, 2011 Editor’s Note: What follows is raw insight from a STRATFOR source in Baghdad, Iraq. The following does not reflect STRATFOR’s view, but provides a perspective on the situation in Baghdad. After the fall of Baghdad in 2003, the city was a nice place despite the lack of law enforcement and government. By February 2004, most businesses were operating, people were happy and stores were open until midnight. There was no shortage of fuel, and electricity was more reliable. The city was very clean, and the crime rate was low. There was also no fear of kidnapping or car bombs. It was a functioning city with law, even without law enforcement. There was even a lion in the Baghdad Zoo, though I heard it later died. On March 2, 2004, explosions shook the Shiite Kazimiyah district, killing tens and wounding hundreds. These explosions were the start of more attacks and car bombings between the Shia and Sunnis that increased in later years. In 2003 and 2004, Baghdad was a city where I envisioned living permanently one day. That is not the case now. The roads are in very poor condition, with lots of garbage everywhere — some of it dating back to 2003. Many streets are blocked with concrete walls. There are many checkpoints inside the city manned by soldiers and police, but they did not seem to be well trained or prepared for potential threats. I hardly saw them checking cars or asking people for identification. We drove 400 kilometers (250 miles) and encountered more than 26 checkpoints; none of them stopped us to ask for identification. The soldiers and police at the checkpoints do not seem to be loyal to the Iraqi state but are there to get their salaries and make a living. The taxi driver told me that since the government does not enforce the law, the soldiers do not want to ask for identification and hold people accountable because they fear reprisals later. Therefore, they let everyone go and avoid problems. At every checkpoint, there are devices the soldiers hold that detect explosives and guns, making it difficult to carry guns or explosives in a car. This made me wonder how so many assassinations have been carried out with guns with suppressors. I was told that most of the assassinations are inside jobs; the officials do not like each other and try to have each other killed. The officials’ guards are allowed to have guns, and it is these permitted guns that are used in some of the assassinations. Traffic is another problem in Baghdad. There are traffic police on the streets, and there are traffic lights to regulate the traffic, but no one cares about the police or whether the light is red or green. Early one morning, we headed to the Green Zone, the “safe” area where foreign embassies are located. In fact, the Green Zone did not seem safe. There were many security clearances — two Iraqi checkpoints and a U.S. Embassy checkpoint manned by Africans (security companies hire many workers from Africa). The African workers board buses and ask for identification and check the badges of people in cars. After entering the Green Zone, there are other checkpoints where people need to show special badges. Cell phones are banned, as is water and other liquids. We were not allowed to take some of my daughter’s medicine with us. The speed limit is 5 miles per hour, and there are very hard road bumps inside the Green Zone that I believe could break the chains of tank treads. There is no sign of life inside the Green Zone. It is fully militarized and seems more like a military camp than anything. I did not even see a store inside the parts of the Green Zone we drove through. Electricity is yet another problem in Baghdad and other areas. During the hot summer, there are fewer than 10 hours of electricity per day. People are very angry about this and hold the government responsible. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki promised in February to improve services. The people said no improvements have happened since then — there are shortages of electricity and water, sewage services are lacking, and there is unemployment. Watch this video on the history of the Sunni/Shiite divide According to the people I spoke with, the city is fully under Shiite control. I don’t mean just the security establishment, but the stores and businesses, too. During the sectarian conflict, most Sunnis left their houses and stores, which were taken by Shiite families who are unwilling to return them. The Sunni districts of Baghdad have been surrounded by concrete walls (like those found in Israel), and there are only one or two gates to get in and out. This has made the Sunnis unhappy, and they see it as a tool to control them rather than to protect them. Corruption has made many officers and government employees rich. You can get an Iraqi passport for $1,500. When you go to any government ministry, nothing is done for you unless you pay them. The taxi driver handling some government staff said, “You need to understand that especially in the passport department, the officer tells you that you can’t get a passport and then he gets up and goes to the toilet. You need to follow him and give him some money; toilets are where the bribes are given.” He added that this is true for every government establishment, not just for passports. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinarck Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 No it's ok, Delta said Shabs was on TV telling everyone the RV was going to happen by the end of the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdoak1fordinar Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 this doesnt sound much different than our government huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastarnie Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Things are changing everyday for them, and imo an rv would change them even faster. Things aren't perfect over here either. I won't even start with what is wrong here. Bottom line I don't see this as having a negative affect on this investment. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinarDana Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Think about it, would you care to pick up the garbage or perform your security job if you were living under such conditions. They need their currency to revalue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdoak1fordinar Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 i think it will take years to really improve the conditions there but an rv is very neccesary 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinarBam Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 What did you think life in Iraq was like? Does this come as a surprise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdoak1fordinar Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 my best friend has two sons that toured in the last few years and the stories they have told of the conditions there are horrible at best it is what you can imagine a third world country being ,outside bagdad they have know clean water ,septic none,and know electricity either . one of there sons is deploying to afagistan in december his second tour there he says its just as bad there .even if these ME countiries do improve there will always be suffering of the people now that is corrupt wouldnt you say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossenbos Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Go on a holiday to New Orleans and drive around there. Doesn't look much better. The RV will allow for more capital flow to fix this ****. Iraq is now the retarted province of the US. In order for them to be a full fledged nation, proud and abundant, we need to lift sanctions, re-instate their currency, yadda yadda yadda! And did I mention yadda? 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdoak1fordinar Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Go on a holiday to New Orleans and drive around there. Doesn't look much better. The RV will allow for more capital flow to fix this ****. Iraq is now the retarted province of the US. In order for them to be a full fledged nation, proud and abundant, we need to lift sanctions, re-instate their currency, yadda yadda yadda! And did I mention yadda? i just went to new orleans and i loved it .but you are right it is bad there too ,and there gov is corrupt and i beleive thats why all the money didnt improve anything ...... but i loved the people and food and culture great place!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankc Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Just look at places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Beautiful luxurious clean cities and their oil production isn't even that big. No reason at all why Iraq cannot follow their plan and end up like UAE. The US, IMF, etc. needs to force them to spend the income on their cities and people instead of allowing those rotten officials to steal the money for themselves. Iraq should never be turned loose to their own devicive means. They should be FORCED to RV and then micromanaged every step of the way to insure future prosperity. If that is not done Iraq will be a corrupt dangerous slum run by a few rich arse holes for another 100yrs. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nani? Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 it's just someone's opinion on the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankenSLI Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 When you do not have anything you care about very little. These people need something to feel pride in... The country for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qzee Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thanks for the comments, everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsand Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 well thanks for the post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal0525 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I am sure that once the RV happens, Iraqi citizens will be able to buy what they need to fix their personal property. This should also reduce the violence since people will concern themselves about their own lives and dreams. Of course there will still be those with ideological differences who act violently but that won't be no different than what is experienced in the U.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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