Really good news from Iraq -- Not all unintended consequences are bad

No one should argue that we went to war to improve the Mesopotamian environment.  We didn't.  We did go, in part, to liberate the Iraqi people, so while we were there we helped put the water back into the marshes of southern Iraq.  Turns out that little side job is paying fast and big dividends (from John at Random Jottings, a fellow carpenter):

Here's some good news, via Rand...

...The restoration of southern Iraq's Mesopotamian marshes is now a giant ecosystem-level experiment. Uncontrolled release of water in many areas is resulting in the return of native plants and animals, including rare and endangered species of birds, mammals, and plants. The rate of restoration is remarkable, considering that reflooding occurred only about two years ago. Although recovery is not so pronounced in some areas because of elevated salinity and toxicity, many locations seem to be functioning at levels close to those of the natural Al-Hawizeh marsh, and even at historic levels in some areas....
You know, since I've told you already, that the Iraq Campaign does not really have a military purpose. We just did it to test leftists. To test whether "liberals are really liberal. Test 'em to destruction; show them up for the evil horrid frauds they are.

I [John] wrote here:

...Iraq was (and is) the big test. To propose regime-change in Iraq is really to say to the Left: , "OK wise guys, you claim to be anti-fascist. Help us remove the worst fascist tyrant of our times. You claim to be humanitarian; here's one of the most brutalized countries of the earth needing our help. You claim you are not anti-Semitic; stand with us against against a monster who was paying bounties to Jew-killers. You claim to care about a certain group that's been denied a homeland; here in the Kurds we have a far bigger group denied a homeland..." (I could go on for a long while with these. You get the picture.)...
Now I see there is another test. A test for the fake-environmentalists commonly known as "Greens." The deliberate destruction of the Iraqi Marshes was the biggest environmental crime of our time. Any real environmentalist would be thrilled by the possibility of bringing back to life this vast wetland, and succoring the simple people who lived in harmony with it for at least 5,000 years....

Real environmentalists would be eager to help out. So where are they?

I think that environmentalist is to Green as progressive is to Liberal, i.e., not much difference to any one outside the group looking in.  Restoring the marsh, once twice the size of the Everglades, is nice.  I'm glad we're able to un-do their deliberate destruction by Saddam Hussein.  It's one more way in which Iraq will be a better place after we've left.

Comments

[Silmarill]

You are seriously insinuating this war was to test leftists? What are you retarded? You could write for like, "Where's Waldo".

[pedro]

Silmarill, I don't get your point. What do you mean?

[K03NG]

"We did go, in part, to liberate the Iraqi people, so while we were there we helped put the water back into the marshes of southern Iraq."
:D to liberate the Iraqi people? lolz..yeah you've really done it now , they aren't killed by the dictator Saddam anymore that's true, now they just kill eachother and blame the Americans for everything that's gone wrong with Iraq in the last fifty years...they aren't free,in fact
they are less free than under the Saddam-regime!
Now call me a leftist and let the bashing begin...