November 5, 2006
USAID: Improving Iraqi quality of life
CENTCOM Press Release:
BAGHDAD — The United States Agency for International Development, better known around the world as USAID, is making drastic improvements to the Iraqi infrastructure and improving the quality of life for millions.
The agency maintains a myriad of projects at any given time, and spends millions of dollars to see them through from start to finish. Whether it’s improving Iraqi canals, ensuring local populations have clean drinking water or restoring city markets, the USAID footprint is prominent and welcome here.
One such undertaking was a massive project resulting in 1.75 million Basrah citizens gaining access to fresh drinking water. The aim: upgrade the Sweet Water canal to modern times. Continued.
USAID: Improving Iraqi quality of life
BAGHDAD — The United States Agency for International Development, better known around the world as USAID, is making drastic improvements to the Iraqi infrastructure and improving the quality of life for millions.
The agency maintains a myriad of projects at any given time, and spends millions of dollars to see them through from start to finish. Whether it’s improving Iraqi canals, ensuring local populations have clean drinking water or restoring city markets, the USAID footprint is prominent and welcome here.
One such undertaking was a massive project resulting in 1.75 million Basrah citizens gaining access to fresh drinking water. The aim: upgrade the Sweet Water canal to modern times.
The Sweet Water Canal , constructed in 1996 to supply water to Iraqis, pumps water to twenty-three plants around Basrah City which treat and distribute water into the city. Saddam Hussein’s old regime neglected the operation, and hadn’t conducted maintenance since 1999. This resulted in the facility operating at less than half its capacity, leaving more than 80 percent of the treated water unfit to drink.
At a cost of almost $38 million, the entire system is being rehabilitated by USAID to return essential services to Iraq . The 240-kilometer canal, its two pump stations, two reservoirs, and fourteen water treatment stations are all being repaired and rehabilitated.
Work has included dredging and cleaning the canal and reservoirs, refurbishing pump stations, providing backup power sources, repairing canal embankments, and replacing worn and broken parts.
Some of the canal’s water treatment stations date to 1932 and upkeep was minimal. The canal and its reservoirs were filled in places with up to two meters of sediment, and vegetation was growing on the surface. A lack of dredging reduced the effectiveness of the reservoirs, and the high solids content of the water increased wear on the pumps.
By mid-spring 2004, residents of Al Basrah saw substantial improvements in their water supply, and by summer the quality and volume of fully treated water will surpass pre-war conditions. Continued.
Saddam: Guilty, Death By Hanging
Hurry up and get it over with so the Iraqi people can move on with lives. The longer he’s around, the longer the hope of him returning to power remains. Die, bastard.
Everyone should really take a look at Pajamas Media. They have several excellent articles on this event. I really do mean several! Most of them are by people you are familiar with, and some articles are by people you should get to know. Either way, you will be able to find a conglomerate of those whom you were planning on reading anyway. 
Breaking: Saddam Sentenced to Death
Saddam trial outcome expected to ignite violence Sunday; Iraqi PM says he hopes ousted dictator will ‘get what he deserves’
Thailand ‘rebels’ attack schools
Thailand ‘rebels’ attack schools.
Suspected Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand have burnt down three schools and shot and wounded a teacher.
The attacks took place overnight on Saturday in the Muslim-dominated province of Yala.
They came after Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, installed in an October coup, apologised for the policies of the previous government.
More than 1,500 people have died in violence in the country’s restive south since January 2004.
Three schools were completely gutted and a fourth badly damaged in the blazes which began almost simultaneously during the night.
A police officer told Reuters news agency that four militants had shot the couple and their daughter from the back of motorcycles later on Saturday.
Schools and teachers are a frequent target as symbols of the distant Bangkok-based government.
Many teachers have even been issued guns to protect themselves.
On Friday, the new government ordered the release of 92 Muslims charged with taking part in an anti-government rally two years ago during which 85 protesters died while in army custody.
Hat tip: LGF’s: Religion of Peace Strikes in Thailand Despite PM’s Apology.
Chester, courtesy of Centcom!
Would you believe that Centcom is actually pleased with the writings of The Adventures of Chester?! I have listened to the podcast, and it is a pretty good interview. Oh, Chester interviewed a man and woman of our Military over in Baghdad. You really should listen to it. Thank you.
Valour-IT and Blackfive
This is one article, out of all of them, I pray you read. There are many people who are putting their money instead of the mouths into practice. What is Valour-IT?
I’m glad you asked. It is a program that offers our injured men and women in the Military the capability to use a voice activated computer to communicate with others.
We take for granted so many things, going to the rest room, writing, walking, breathing, etc. This is only one way we can say, “Thank you for your service.”
Let us choose up which branch we would like to help, and let us enter the race. Of course there is competition! This is an American thing, are you nuts?! If there wasn’t competition between the NAVY, Marines, Army, Air Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, etc, I don’t know what they (we) would do. (lol)
Please visit Blackfive’s article on this issue. He does such a wonderful and much better job than I ever could. Thank you, and have a great day…because you can.
Power cuts strike western Europe
Power cuts strike western Europe
Power cuts have struck several countries in western Europe, leaving millions of people without electricity.
Power companies said the outage started in Germany with a surge in demand prompted by cold weather, and then spread to other parts of Europe.
Some five million people in France lost power, mainly in the east of the country and including parts of Paris.
“We weren’t very far from a European blackout,” a senior director with French power company RTE said.
Pierre Bornard told the French news agency AFP that two German high-voltage transmission lines failed, causing problems across western Europe.
This triggered a “house of cards” style system breakdown, he said.
Automatic security systems cut supplies to some customers to avoid a complete blackout.
Italy, Belgium and Spain were also affected by the power cuts.
Most electricity supplies were restored within two hours of the outage, and so far no injuries or accidents have been reported.
Fire brigades in France said they had to answer several calls from people stuck in lifts.
High speed rail links were also disrupted.
