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Iraq
Mrs. Bush Pushes for Iraq Medical Center
2004-03-02
Laura Bush is pushing a $100 million children's medical center she hopes will be built in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Congress approved $50 million for the project in November as part of $87.5 billion for U.S. military operations and aid in Iraq, although some lawmakers, including Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee, have questioned whether the money would be better spent on basic public health measures instead of a modern facility.
I think Leahy enjoys being a killjoy.
The project, in its initial phases, eventually is to be a public-private partnership between U.S. Agency for International Development and Project HOPE, a private organization that has helped establish similar facilities in Poland and China, said Mrs. Bush's spokesman Gordon Johndroe. The Coalition Provisional Authority has informed Congress that it is ready to do the project, but is waiting for the lawmakers to respond with guidelines on how the money could be used. The $87.5 billion approved by Congress includes $18.6 billion for reconstruction. Of this amount, Congress approved $493 million for improving hospitals and clinics across Iraq, including $50 million for the pediatric facility in Basra.
It's a good idea. Iraq is going to be a first-and-a-half world country in the next decade and they'll need this.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  Lots of Iraqi docs are western-trained. I've worked with a couple. They're pretty good.

As noted, basic public health is coming together -- I've seen news reports that now, for the first time in 20 years plus, ALL Iraqi children have their basic immunization panel done. Clean water, etc. are all coming on-line.

A pediatric hospital helps to train docs and nurses, spreads the circle of excellence in the region, indeed gives people pride in something, and serves as a useful symbol: "work with and become part of the civilized world, and your sick children get better." That's a good messge in that region.
Posted by: Steve White   2004-3-2 10:16:25 AM  

#7  Imagine Mrs. Ketsup Kerry as 1st lady....

Oh sorry... didn't mean to spoil your breakfast.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-3-2 10:11:06 AM  

#6  Interesting.

Our First Lady usually steers clear of politics and political statements. And though she may have some pet cause (reading, for kids or something) like previous First Ladies, we don't usually hear about it.

Very refreshing after 8 years of Hillary trying to ram health care crap down our throats.

And, I for one am a lot more likely to listen to and take seriously anything political Mrs. Bush says, since she doesn't shoot her mouth off.
Posted by: growler   2004-3-2 10:02:18 AM  

#5  My daughter had appendicitis two weeks ago. I doubt that an immunization, clean water or hygiene would have been helpful to us. At a certain point you need one or several high quality local hospitals.
I think we will see a period where we bring many Iraqi doctors to the US for specific training on new techniques with state-of-the-art equipment. These doctors will the turn this facility into a teaching hospital.
I doubt that having sheiks fly for treatment in the Clevelnad Clinic is good for Arab pride.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-3-2 8:59:09 AM  

#4  I think the are already working on that,Phil.

Seems like a new hospital would be a good place to train Health care proffesionals.
Posted by: Raptor   2004-3-2 8:47:44 AM  

#3  We're already doing that, Phil_b. This has a lot of good points: Builds pride, establishes a place to put the really intelligent Iraqui medical people, spreads the wealth a bit by putting it in Basara instead of Baghdad, Injects some modernism in the area, and is obviously the seed for the Iraqi version of the CDC and Public Health ministry. The woman's clearly not a moron, and wouldn't marry one...
Posted by: Ptah   2004-3-2 8:46:20 AM  

#2  When are we gonna hear the crowd that tried for years to get the UN sanctions lifted going after Leahy for denying Iraqis medical care?
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-3-2 8:13:35 AM  

#1  If you are really interested in saving kids lives, then spend the money on immunizations, clean water and education on hygiene.
Posted by: phil_b   2004-3-2 5:32:29 AM  

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