John H. wrote:
"Average household incomes have soared by 60 percent in the last 20 months (to $263 a month), 70
percent of Iraqis rate their own economic situation positively,

That's good

... and consumer goods are sweeping the
country.

On credit, no doubt, just like here.

... In early 2004, 6 percent of Iraqi households had cell phones; now it's 62 percent.

Because it's more difficult to tear down cell phone towers &
sell them on the black market than it is to rip down & sell
wire.

Ownership of satellite dishes has nearly tripled,

Notice how they don't tell you how many owned satellite
dishes before. 2? So that means 6 own them now? Isn't that
great?


I wonder why all those people are buying satellite dishes and air conditioners, when they don't have
electricity?

Gee, I dunno, but it's real easy to find reports...
including from those darn libby-rull traitors at the State
Dept... that electricity in Baghdad is *still* not produced
& supplied in the amount nor with the reliability of pre-war
standards. And that people get in line for water from a truck.

But hey, if they're happy, that's great. Maybe by now,
they've been doing it for so long that they're used to it.

Funny how the spending of $300 million US taxpayer dollars
for feel-good advertising in Iraq doesn't offend any of the
"conservatives" in this bunch.

DSK