by Harry Browne

From time to time someone writes an essay that impresses enough people that the essay is circulated from hand to hand throughout the Internet.

I recently received such an essay. It consists of a series of "Did you know . . . " questions. The purpose, obviously, is to make us realize that we don't know the whole story of what's happening in Iraq (thanks to the liberal media). And if we did know the whole story, we'd be getting down on our knees and thanking George Bush for being so much more far-sighted than we are.

Or something like that.

However, the questions indicate that the writer himself is a little confused about the war and especially uninformed about pre-war Iraq.

Did You Ever . . .?

Here are the questions (grouped together to consolidate them), together with my observations.

Did you know there are more than 1,100 building projects going on in Iraq? They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that none of that work would be necessary if the U.S. military hadn't destroyed so many buildings and public facilities?

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Did you know that 3,100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure now consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers?

Did you know that before the U.S. invaded, Iraq was generally considered to have the best educational system and best medical facilities in the Middle East?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2004 for the re-established Fulbright program?

Of course, it's time for them to get on the dole from the U.S. government.

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers. And there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks.

Did you know that Iraq had all that and more before the U.S. invaded Iraq? Or did Saddam Hussein operate his fabled police state with only the help of his two sons?

Did you know that the Iraqi government employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Good for them. Pretty soon they'll have a bureaucracy as big as America's.

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment. Iraq's Air Force consists of three operation squadrons, 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet ranger. 

Sounds like Iraq will pretty soon be able to invade a country of its own.

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Originally published on April 28, 2005 at HarryBrowne.org