Show I I The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thursday October 23 2003 — A9 Q Occupation in Iraq DiracoDS say ecommy from abroad ‘ oneedls I US officials have urged other countries to open their wallets for UN Iraq trying to turn a hard-wo- n BAGHDAD Iraq(AP) — Boxes of washing machines TVs and spill onto the sidewalks of Karada Street the electronics marketplace that has become Baghdad's busiest thoroughfare Business has been booming lately but merchants say that under the veneer of stability problems remain Electricity flickers on and off several times a day Doors close by late afternoon because of fears over crime resolution into billions of dollars in TheWorld £ank has estimated that Iraq needs approximately $36 billion ova four years to restore its infrastructure and jump-sta- ' As international donors gather Thursday in Madrid to ponder giving billions of dollars in aid for Iraq’s reconstruction Iraqi business owners say foreign assistance is essential in stabilizing a nation still wracked by turmoil “Let’s face the fact — our econo-my has been destroyed completely by 20 years of war” said merchant Tahsin Thhr “We can’t change it unless someone gives us a push” Standing in his small store Tahr 38 is dwarfed by cardboard boxes stacked to the ceiling He deals in TVs Samsung refrigerators and Daewoo air conditioners — and prices are quoted in American dollars only Tahir is the first acknowledge that business has gotten better as new money — much of it coming reconstruc- rt tion That is separate from the $20 billion the US Congress is considering giving for security and resurrecting Iraq’s oil industry US efforts to broaden the international commitment in Iraq got a big boost last week when the UN Secu- rity Council passed a unanimous resolution urging international help for Iraq and establishing a multinational force under US command Still Tahir’s unease is echoed elsewhere in Baghdad where merchants say the visible signs of normalcy belie their real concerns that insecurity is stunting economic progress During the day the city ’s central Shurja Market is teeming with ven- dors hawking everything from spices to satellite dishes Traffic jams are common as aging buses bulging with passengers jostle with battered t taxis : AP photo Cars try to make their way through Wednesday on Baghdad's Aklumhurriyah street which has become the capital's busiest thoroughfare from Iraqis newly employed by Americans and other foreigners — is flooding into the market “Before the war we were lucky to sell two pieces a week Now I sell at least five a day Personallymy business has improved” he said: “But the economy is something flat-scre- en '' Memo 'r' l v‘ J ' - else We haven’t really seen progress yet Security is getting better btlt it’s not something we can trust yet" Madrid conference Tljeltwo-dawhich opens Thursday is aimed at getting other countries to share in the responsibilities of getting Iraq back on its feet y orange-and-whi- te But gunfire still rattles through the night and three major suicide bombings shook the city earlier this month i Business owners like carpet dealer Bassem 26 say any longterm economic progress will only be possible yvhen the country's security situation is under control His giant rugs on display in Baghdad’s downtown shopping district complained that uncontrolled crime is hurting his business “Yes we are selling more but it’s not safe It’s not secure yet We close our shop at 2 pm because there are so many gangs that will loot We used to be open till 6 pm At night we can't even transport our goods here” he said says the World community which failed to stop the US-lc- d invasion has a responsibility to help Iraqis “They should help us We lost everything in this war because the Americans were allowed to come in” he said Others say the aid from foreign countries should be in the form of new businesses and’investments not just a handout “We are educated people If they come and hire us jobs they are giving us a push and we are helping them do business in Iraq” said Ali Mohammed 32 who was trained as an engineer but joined his family’s grocery business aj fa 4 ' $¥' jy-- i i r vi U ' m V Continued from A1 of Staff Chairman Gen Richard Myers and two of their deputies In it Rumsfeld offered a much ' more stark assessment of die " global war on terrorism than he often gives publicly “It is pretty clear that the coahtion can win in Afghanistan and Iraq in one way or another but it will be a kmg hard slog” 1 he wrote The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Com-jnittJoe Biden of Delaware said the memo “is a little differrent than the sort of communicated that to was ance us in Congress” “Thisis the first sort of introspection that I have even whiffed coming out of the civil- ian side of the Defense Depart- ment” Biden told reporters on Capitol HilL Rumsfeld said the memo did not say anything different from what he and President Bushhad said in the past “ As die president said it will take time and will require all die elements of national power to deal with the war on terror” Rumsfeld said White House press secretary’ Scott McClellan traveling with Bush in Australia voiced sup-port for Rumsfeld “That’s exactly what a strong and capable secretary of defense like Secretary Rumsfeld should be doing” said McClellan Bush talked about the war on terrorism with reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Can- berra where he planned to dis-cuss it with Prime Minister John Howard “I've always felt that there’s a tendency of people to kind of seek a comfort zone and hope that the war on terror is over” Bush said “And I view it as a responsibility of the United States to remind people of our mutual obligations to deal with the terrorists” Rumsfeld wrote “we are just getting started” in battling an Iraq-basAnsar terrorist group linked to fglr-- y - v ivn ( t y' J j ' l J piv’i tjyw'X-f- j Yvi' S j 1 7 r '' !§ m tAev ' r ee self-assu- UDiiy SVOm - : : ' ed And he asked “Are we luring killing or deterring and dissuading more terrorists every day than the madrassas and the radical clerics are recruiting training and deploying against us?” Madrassas are Islamic reli- gious schools Rumsfeld and other US officials say some schools run by radical groups indoctrinate students to join in an holy war Rumsfeld's memo raises the possibility of creating “a private foundation to entice radical madrassas to a more moderate course” and asks how to block the funding of the extremist schools Sounding a theme Rumsfeld repeatedly has voiced in the past two years die memo says the Defense Department is too big and slow to effectively fight small groups of terrorists ENTIRE REGULAR PRiei WOMEN'S TOMMY HILFICER SHOES MEN'S & WOMEN'S DOC MARTENS SHOES ' S&MGS iMORE 'S © SHOES! 1 f39” $39W Orlg $49 OrtJ $S9 SELECTED SKECHERS MADDEN $4999 Orlg $69-$7- 9 SELECTED ENZO cssv5S ‘ SALE WSCOUHTS TAKEN AT REGISTER AN mtfchandiN to SELECTED unto— othsrwtot notod Selection veri— by sloce Limited to stock on hand Basic nonseasonel merchandtoe Is not included Sony we cannot accept phone or maN orders on ctoarance merchandtoe — USUIUWCSMir— — wSiaiTwnt iC—CMTAi Eg I 1' itNMen— ii M hi Si C— MM Orlg SS9-S6- 'tA EASY SPIRIT an Sli— SCllN— A9” — 9 |