Back to Iraq? Winning Hearts and Minds

UMM QASR, Iraq - The U.S. military came up with a solution yesterday for the penniless people of this port town begging for water: Sell it....
(snip)
We're permitting them to charge a small fee for water," said Army Col. David Bassert.

"This provides them with an incentive to hustle and to work," said Bassert, an assistant commander with the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade.

He said he could not suggest what constitutes a reasonable fee and did not know what the truckers were charging. He said the tradition here of haggling at markets would help the system work."

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0401-14.htm

Well it's a good incentive to make people enjoy a Protestant Work Ethic for Water and Freedom...

BUT what do you think...

...we are selling them water? Are they employed now? Last I'd heard, unemployment in Iraq was hovering somewhere ABOVE 60%. Most of the people of Iraq either worked for the government, or got assistance from the government. Are THEY buying the water? With what? Marriage age children?

at my computer and try to come up with something that sufficiently expresses my disgust. I fail.