UP FROM THE ASHES

Malcom Lagauche

In 1991, the U.S. military virtually wiped Iraq off the map. At the end of 42 days and nights of bombing, little of the country’s infrastructure was left undamaged. But, the U.S. administration did not anticipate the miraculous rebound Iraq would make in the first couple of years following the country’s annihilation.. Bush thought the destruction of tens of thousands of buildings (including 4,000 schools and 20,000 houses), as well as rendering useless the sewage, electricity, and water facilities in Iraq would bring the Iraqis to their knees. When that did not work, he put a noose around the country to stop anything from entering. Still, the Iraqis stood proud. As a last resort, Bush ordered the destruction of their crops, but the Iraqis did not succumb. The defiance of the Iraqi people became evident and Bush experienced another setback in his imperialistic plans — the Iraqi people were rebuilding their country at a fast pace with no outside help...

continua / continued