Oh, The Irony

As our nation's economy continues to....I won't use the word 'crumble' here...that is just too pessimistic of a word and I always prefer to err on the side of optimism. Besides, stating that our economy is crumbling would be somewhat of a stretch of the truth. So I will put it this way: As a portion of our nation's once successful industries continue to make declines in their prosperity (better than crumbling economy??) it's interesting to see how the international markets are doing, and why.

Having said that, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the latest hot-spot for the auto industry, one of America's industries that we all know is sadly struggling in our current recession. Americans seem to have the idea that if American business is doing badly, then all the world's business must be following suit. And in many cases, this statement holds true However, there is one place on Earth where the auto industry is actually booming--and here's the kicker--not only despite America's policies, but also because of them!

With that, I'd like to propose GM, Ford and the rest of them consider a new headquarters where the auto industry is steadily doing better...Baghdad! According to the April 4 edition of The Washington Post's Express newspaper, "Business, not bombs, is booming at Baghdad car dealerships, as well-heeled Iraqis are indulging in a passion long out of reach--spiffy new cars...This may make Baghdad one of the few cities where the auto industry is doing relatively well."

OK so this is great, but where, exactly, does the bitter irony set in? Right about the following sentence in the article, which states, "With its limited banking system, Iraq has laregly avoided the global finanical meltdown. And unlike elsewhere in the world, gas prices--about $1.52 a gallon--aren't much of a deterrent to those Iraqis eager and able to catch up with teh good life behind the wheel."

Through years of economic sanctioning and warfare against Iraq, the United States, along with a portion of the rest of the 'developed' world has actually created a country that the global financial meltdown may just bypass, or at least jsut not hit as hard. Of course, this is only one small advantage of the carnage amassed on this country over the past few....decades. And a very expensive one, as well. I would imagine (and the article supports) that there is only a very small percentage of Iraqis who can afford luxury cars and the gas needed to power them. But it will be very interesting to see what other, more affordable 'glitches' in the global financial breakdown will turn up, both in Iraq and the rest of the 'under-developed' world.