I couldn't help noticing the Ford pickup trucks that the Iraq Army or Police force was traveling in... If nothing else, America is really really good at one thing... capitalism. Big business and BIG military knows how to continue it's presence.
Anyway, without getting too caught up in the political framework of the issue, take a look at the video... it's one of the few inspiring aspects that I've been exposed to regarding Iraq (with the noted exception of course of the people of Iraq)... it's just too bad that everything else seems to be rife with trauma.
I'd also like to note my initial skepticism in the approach that is being taken in the restoration. Not being familiar with the situation I cannot assume much of a stance and I'll leave it at that.
In addition, there is an interesting issue that presents itself in this specific case. The case runs parallel to the United State's own example of the Colorado River. Where the Colorado used to run through Mexico, bringing the necessary supply of water to sustain agriculture, it is now a dry relic of its former self. The upstream areas have been diverted for (mostly) non-agricultural use such as lawn fertilization. I shouldn't presume... I'm not that familiar with it... maybe it is being used for agriculture, but I can't help but be bias about the impact. We've diverted a water source that was relied on for subsistence use by a large amount of people in order to (most likely) supply Kentucky Blue Grass with the hydration it needs to grow in the middle of a desert in Arizona.
This similarity is noted in the dams that have been constructed in Turkey. By no means am I supposing that the dams have been diverted to satisfy a Western landscape fad, but nonetheless the water is being dammed and it's impact is being severely felt downstream in Iraq.
Note: I'm including a link incase it doesn't play properly:
Nature: Braving Iraq
Watch the full episode. See more Nature.
