IRAQ: 3 YEARS LATER

WASHINGTON -- Three years ago today, President George W. Bush told the American people that the war with Iraq had begun, in order to "disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger."

"The people of the United States and their friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder."

He promised to meet the Iraqi threat with "decisive force."

Today it is clear that there were no weapons of mass destruction, and independent investigators found that there was no credible evidence to support the allegation in other speeches that Saddam Hussein was plotting with terrorist groups such as al-Qaida. Terrorism experts say that under the occupation Iraq has become a training ground for terrorists, and the results are beginning to show up in countries like Jordan and Afghanistan.

The invasion force of about 100,000 easily overwhelmed the Iraqi Army but proved to be far less decisive when it came to securing the peace. Bush boasted that day of a coalition of 35 countries, but most provided several hundred troops or less and some have already pulled out.

More than 2,300 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the war. Estimates of the number of Iraqi civilians killed vary widely, but some go over 30,000. While Iraqis applaud their freedom, they bemoan the circumstances under which they must live. Bombings of civilians are rampant in the center of the country, and kidnapping of civilians for ransom is an everyday occurrence, except in the Kurdish north.

Administration officials had said that Iraq's oil would pay most of the bills for reconstructing Iraq, but oil revenues are down from the early months of the occupation and Iraqis are faced with long lines at gas stations because there is less gasoline.

Electricity production is slightly higher than before the war, but far short of U.S. goals and only enough to keep the lights on in Baghdad, and some other cities, eight hours a day. Reconstruction efforts include work on nearly 1,000 schools. Unemployment is down from a whopping 50 to 60 percent in mid-2003, but still at an untenable 25 to 40 percent.

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Dontrelle is the answer

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