Iraqis Seek Role in Rebuilding Their Nation

'When Rahim al-Daraji looks at the dusty lots just east of Sadr City where scores of bodies have been dumped in the past year, he sees a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, coffee shops and restaurants... “The plan is not only about security,” said Naeem al-Kabbi, Baghdad’s deputy mayor in charge of municipal services. “It’s about security, services and reconstruction.”'

This article brings together the many forces at play in Iraq, as the Iraqis are increasingly using the Coalition's vocabulary of reconstruction. Given that the Iraqi government has pledged $10 billion US for reconstruction in this year's budget, authorities are finding themselves facing crowds of 'volunteers' to help direct their spending...