A question for the left. What you you suggest as an alternative

For the left? Uh, you mean as opposed to the "right" which is advocating huge, huge government programs and subsidies not even to waste on our own citizens but on someone else's? If Four Seasons wants to build a hotel in Iraq fine with me, as long as I'm not paying for it. The worst thing is I'll have to not only have to pay for the hotel, but for all the guest bills and per diems for all the government contractors going over to Iraq to stay there. I don't see any left/right here, just pigs at the taxpayer trough.

A question for the left. What you you suggest as an alternative (again using private investments) that would employ more Iraqis, have a better economic impact on Baghdad or in another tangible way positively impact Baghdad?

We could move our center of military operations outside of the city, stop reigning from Saddam's palaces, create a rejuvenated public space in the green zone, with Iraqi businesses.

James, am I recalling correctly that you lived or spent a lot of time in Cairo? Because I was struck by your comment "most of Cairo, Egypt is a slum by Western standards" -- that was not my experience.

I spent a month there in the summer of 2001. My experience was that much of the city was run down, the people wouldn't obey traffic laws even with ubiquitous police carrying Uzi-style weapons standing by, and that aggressive pandhandling was rampant.

Then again, I hadn't lived as an adult in a major American city at that point. I consider significant parts Washington, DC pretty slum-like, too, even desirable areas like Adams Morgan.

And just another point. I have yet to see a luxury hotel that didn't have 'water, electricity, fuel, cooking oil, medical care, security and more' (including sewers). So to the extent that developing these properties will perforce mean developing the infrastructure, this is part of how the city gets fixed.

A question for the left. What you you suggest as an alternative (again using private investments) that would employ more Iraqis, have a better economic impact on Baghdad or in another tangible way positively impact Baghdad? The left's military strategy seems to end with 'run away', so I would be interested to see if they have something constructive to offer on the economic front or if they will also find it easier to carp when something is being done without offering a positive alternative.