Spotlight: 6th anniversary of Iraq invasion

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Since the beginning of the military operations by coalition forces on Iraq on March 20, 2003, developments kept spinning throughout six difficult years of Iraq’s history, along with the process of building a new political system in the country after 35 years of dictatorship, combat operations, internal conflicts and killings. On the sixth anniversary of the war led by the U.S. to topple Saddam Hussein, IraqiNews.com news agency reports in number the heavy heritage that was left by Saddam’s regime and the major changes that took place in Iraq since the first day of the war. The agency relied on its Iraqi and foreign sources to collect the following data: 1. Coalition forces: – Total number of countries that joined the alliance to disarm Iraq in 2003 was 31, including the U.S. – The alliance now (March 20, 2009) is of four countries: the United States, the UK, Australia and Romania. 2. U.S. forces deployment in Iraq: – March 31, 2009: 90,000 soldiers. – March 13, 2009: 138,000 soldiers. – The highest level of U.S. forces deployment: October 2007 – 166,000. 3. Iraqi Security forces – number of trained and equipped servicemen: – Until July 2005: 171,300. – Until October 2008: 561,159. 4. Casualties among Iraqi civilians: – Since the invasion in 2003: 91,121. 5. Casualties of U.S. forces: – Dead soldiers until March 17, 2009: At least 4,259. – Injured soldiers until February 28, 2009: At least 36.106. 6. Casualties of other coalition forces: – Until March 17, 2009: At least 307 dead soldiers. 7. Private contractors: – Until August 2008: There were 190,000 contractors in Iraq. – Until December 31, 2009: 1,306 U.S. private contractors were killed in Iraq. 8. Cost of war: – So far, Congress has approved $657 billion to fund the war in Iraq. – In August 2008, Congress estimated the cost of war in Iraq to vary between $ (440-865) billion. 9. Accusations and charges of corruption until January 30, 2009: – 20 persons arrested. – 19 accusation documents issued. – 14 judicial convictions. – More than $17 million as fines. 10. Unemployment in Iraq: – January 2004: 30 – 45%. – January 2009: 23 – 38%. 11. Oil production: – Before the war: 2.58 million barrels per day (bpd). – February 28, 2009: 2.32 million bpd. 12. Iraqi oil prices: – March 28, 2008: $21.5. – March 6, 2009: $43.84. 13. Number of Iraqis getting drinking water: – Before the war: 12.9 million people. – January 15, 2009: 21.2 million people. 14. Number of Iraqis getting sewage services: – Before the war: 6.2 million people. – After the war: 11.3 million people. 15. Number of landline phone numbers: – Before the war: 833,000. – January 5, 2009: 1,300,000. 16. Number of cell phone lines: – Before the war: 80,000. – January 5, 2009: Around 14.7 million. 17. People getting the Internet service: – Sep. 2003: 4,900. – January 5, 2009: 688,410. 18. Power generation and supply within the national level: – Before the war: 3,958 Megawatt, with (4-8) hours of power supply per day. – March 10, 2009: 5,410 Megawatt, with (6-15) hours of power supply per day. 19. Power generation and supply in Baghdad: – Before the war: 2,500 Megawatt, with (16-24) hours of power supply per day. – March 10, 2009: Generated Megawatts unknown, but power supply per day is (8-16) hours. 20. Refugees and displaced people inside Iraq: – In 2008, around 195,000 Iraqi were able to return to their houses; however, until November 2008, there were at least 2.8 million Iraqis displaced inside Iraq. 21. Emigrants outside Iraq: – Before the war: 500,000 Iraqis were living out of Iraq. – January 2009: Around 2 million Iraqis were living outside Iraq; however, in 2008, some 25,000 Iraqi refugees returned home in Iraq. MH (F)/AmR 2