Tragedy upon tragedy in Iraq

December's Harper's reported that Iraq throws away over $10 million worth of natural gas every day. It's dissolved in the oil coming out of the ground and can be captured with relatively simple processing equipment. But due to the lack of stability and consequent lack of investment, it's simply burned off, adding who knows how much CO2 and soot to the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Iraq is desperate for electricity, and efficiently generating electricity with natural gas is a no-brainer.

Wouldn't you think that if our FIVE YEAR occupation was making any actual progress, such screaming lunacy would have inspired somebody to do something?

What is valued is practiced. What is not valued is not practiced. -- Plato