Davos Newbies

Like most Obama supporters, I lap up analyses like Jonathan Alter’s and Marc Ambinder’s. But for the first time during this nomination race, I’m nervous today. I’d really like to see it done and dusted, no arguments, for Obama by tomorrow. But I think that’s looking unlikely, whatever the math might say. It’s not fair, but the spin is part of the process and at the moment all the spin seems to be heading in Hillary’s direction.

I think the end result will still be an Obama nomination at the Denver convention, but the last week has already become ugly for the Democrats. I don’t think that helps in November.

Have a listen to this NPR report from Samarra, where a sacred Shiite mosque was blown up by insurgents two years ago. It’s a depressing tale of how things are still terrible in much of Iraq, but what struck me most was a little economic snippet.

A Turkish contractor is rebuilding the mosque, which is perhaps understandable: perhaps Iraq lacks contractors with the necessary project management and technical skills. (Turkish contractors, incidentally, have long been among the leaders in building projects in lots of difficult places. When central Asia opened up after the collapse of the Soviet Union, I recall running into stories of Turkish construction companies all over the place.)

What is surprising, however, is the reference to Bangladeshi laborers on the construction site. Unemployment in Iraq is horrifyingly high. I’m sure Bangladeshi labor is cheap, but wouldn’t the rebuilding of Iraq be helped by actually employing Iraqis in the rebuilding?