A Return to Baathist Economics? Escaping Vicious Circles in Iraq

In the midst of the daily reports of suicide bombings, insurgents, coalition causalities, the relentless toll of civilian dead and wounded, and general all-around grief, any appraisal of Iraqs economy has seemed irrelevant when set against the greater military and security concerns.4 Yet the long run health of the economy will be crucial in determining if Iraq will be able to transition to a stable democracy.5 Many authorities on post-conflict reconstruction believe that the post-June 30 Interim Governments most significant challenge will be delivering measurable improvements to the Iraqi people. Typical comments to this effect usually run along the following lines I think the new government will gain legitimacy in the eyes of the people on one condition if it delivers on security, infrastructure, and employment. If Cabinet members manage to deliver, even on the latter two, it will make a major difference. If not, the whole thing will fall apart.