We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:02:07 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Continuing my interview with Ambassador Charles Ries, the senior American heading up economic transition and development in Iraq... [Note: as pointed out by the Ambassador, there were some errors in Part I (apparently this is what happens when one attempts to interview and write with a flu-addled brain--a lesson in humility for those of us who like to smack around the mainstream media). 1) 1.5 and 2 million barrels a day refers to exports, not total production. Total production is 2.5 million/day. 2) The new government agency in charge of investment is the National Investment Commission, not an Investment Ministry... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:02:06 -0600 Thanks for catching that, Kat. I've fixed it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70612 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70612 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:19:42 -0600 The Bank of Iraq (TBI) That's the "Trade" Bank of Iraq]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70611 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70611 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:16:00 -0600 Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, baby steps. I think that's what has been most eye-opening about this interview for me--that there are countless pockets of development and growth, baby steps that are moving in the right direction... they just aren't connected into a larger tapestry yet. Or as the Ambassador put it, much of the work they are doing is in "building the tendons and sinews" that will bind together aspects of the government or economy into functional units. From high above, it just looks like a mess in many ways. But when you start at the ground level and look at things in detail, you realize there is so much going on; it's just waiting for the "tendons and sinews" to connect it all together. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70610 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70610 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:17:29 -0600 FbL, Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to the next piece. There are lots of cultural issues that have to be resolved in order to have a functioning government there (and elsewhere in that region). Power sharing, revenue sharing, tax/bill collection, just to name a few (not to mention the whole security thingy). Baby steps... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70607 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/on_iraqs_econom_1.html#comment-70607 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:39:59 -0600