After Iraq was invaded by the US and Britain, so much copper was looted from the electrical infrastructure?

Question

in Iraq that the worldwide price of copper went down. Looting went on right under the noses of soldiers who had no orders to stop it. Looking back was it a big mistake to just stand back and allow so much looting to go on?

Answer 1

Not just the looting of copper, EVERYTHING about that war was a mistake.

If they had left Mr Hussein alone, he would have died within a few years anyway due to his age. This could have lead to reforms with none of the 600,000 or so dead, ruined infrastructure or foreign insurgents!

Everything that has happened in nearly 5 years is due to the lack of foresight by incompetent governments.

Typical, warmongers and Bush supporters giving me low ratings again.

Answer 2

Yes the looting was widespread, but that is uually not a concern of combat forces. The mission was to liberate Iraq from its leadership, not to act as a police force to ensure nothing is stolen. In the aftermath, it became more of a police acion, as do all conflicts. It could not have been avoided, except by not going, as some of the responders to this column have so courageously outlined. I love the Monday morning quarterbacks, or should I say Monday morning Generals, who have all the answers. It is easy to run a war from your armchair and never be put in harms way. The decisions made are so clear and lucid. I know this - Iraq is better off now than it was. No one will ever know the value of an American life. Does it equal an Iraqi life? That is not quantifiable. What is quantifiable is the state of affairs for the Iraqi people. When you are the most powerful and richest country in the world, and you have everything you can desire at your fingertips, that equals power. Power equals responsibility. Responsibility to help other people and improve the lives of as many people as possible. Obviously we cannot afford to be everywhere, doing everything, but we must contribute to the global well being of humanity. Operation Iraqi Freedom does that.

In conclusion, yes the looting was wide spread, the infrastructure was damaged. But today, the infrastructure is better than it was. There is electricity where none existed before. There is sanitation where none existed before. There is schools and education, where none existed before. Was the cost high? Absolutely. But what is the cost of freedom? What is the cost of your security and mine? Some looted copper wire and American and Iraqi lives? Maybe. Iraq is better off, as are Americans for it.

Answer 3

Copper is being looted in the U.S. from construction sites and even the lamp posts along the interstate highway system every day. Most of it is being sold to recyclers who ship it off-shore to places like China and India.
There have been recent reports from the Northwest that thieves are even stealing the aluminum crash barriers off the highways.

Answer 4

I avent seen a copper around ere for years

Answer 5

Yes, it was a mistake. It has set back the electricity grid by many years.