I was listening to SecDef Rumsfeld on the radio yesterday, when he visited the National Press Club. He referred to comments by Paul Bremmer (sp?), the Iraq administrator, comparing the establishment and restoration of Iraqi institutions (like a bank, governing body, and the like) to post WWII Germany.... on how swiftly things were being set up in Iraq compared to how much longer it took in postwar Germany.
Makes me wonder, how fair is it to compare the two situations? After all, postwar Germany had 4 countries occupying it who didn't always act uniformly. (See Berlin Airlift Quick Facts)
Meanwhile, the Germans have made their own comparison of the US to Iraq. A couple weeks ago in Der Spiegel (a German magazine like Time or Newsweek), there was an article about the North American power blackout that happened in August. (A translation was available on the NY Times website.) It said:
One can't but help draw parallels between the blackouts in Baghdad and on the US east coast. To date, the Americans have not even been able to bring the power supply back up to prewar levels, which were already completely inadequate... It certainly comes as no surprise that Baghdad residents accustomed to constant blackouts ridiculed the great darkness in New York via CNN, saying that they'd be glad to give the spoiled Americans a few survival tips.
or as Bill Richardson (Secretary of Energy under Clinton and now governor of New Mexico) said, "We are a dominant superpower with the power network of a third-world country."
And that's why Arnold Schwarzenegger might make a good governor of California. His experience playing Conan the Barbarian would probably serve him in good stead when California suffers another power blackout. When the lights go out, they'll need someone who can cope with Stone Age conditions.
Posted by raacluse at September 11, 2003 07:41 PMWhat a great BLOG!!!Thanks.
Posted by: some word at September 21, 2004 10:03 AM