Iraqi Dam Seen In Danger of Deadly, Imminent, Catastrophic Collapse

[babylonsister]

Iraqi Dam Seen In Danger of Deadly Collapse

By Amit R. Paley
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; Page A01

AT THE MOSUL DAM, Iraq -- The largest dam in Iraq is in serious danger of an imminent collapse that could unleash a trillion-gallon wave of water, possibly killing thousands of people and flooding two of the largest cities in the country, according to new assessments by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other U.S. officials.

Even in a country gripped by daily bloodshed, the possibility of a catastrophic failure of the Mosul Dam has alarmed American officials, who have concluded that it could lead to as many as 500,000 civilian deaths by drowning Mosul under 65 feet of water and parts of Baghdad under 15 feet, said Abdulkhalik Thanoon Ayoub, the dam manager. "The Mosul dam is judged to have an unacceptable annual failure probability," in the dry wording of an Army Corps of Engineers draft report.

At the same time, a U.S. reconstruction project to help shore up the dam in northern Iraq has been marred by incompetence and mismanagement, according to Iraqi officials and a report by a U.S. oversight agency to be released Tuesday. The reconstruction project, worth at least $27 million, was not intended to be a permanent solution to the dam's deficiencies.

"In terms of internal erosion potential of the foundation, Mosul Dam is the most dangerous dam in the world," the Army Corps concluded in September 2006, according to the report to be released Tuesday. "If a small problem {at} Mosul Dam occurs, failure is likely."

The effort to prevent a failure of the dam has been complicated by behind-the-scenes wrangling between Iraqi and U.S. officials over the severity of the problem and how much money should be allocated to fix it. The Army Corps has recommended building a second dam downstream as a fail-safe measure, but Iraqi officials have rejected the proposal, arguing that it is unnecessary and too expensive.

The debate has taken place largely out of public view because both Iraqi and U.S. Embassy officials have refused to discuss the details of safety studies -- commissioned by the U.S. government for at least $6 million -- so as not to frighten Iraqi citizens. Portions of the draft report were read to The Washington Post by an Army Corps official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The Post also reviewed an Army Corps PowerPoint presentation on the dam.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102902193.html

[seemslikeadream]

1. georgie georgie georgie

The water will come back to haunt you, what have you done?


Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
if ya run to the sea the sea will be boiling
oh on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
oh on that day

Downpressor man where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressor man where ya gonna run to
Downpressor man where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

And if ya make your bed in hell I will be there
make your bed in hell i will be there
I say make your bed in hell i will be there
on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to tell me
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
if ya run to the rocks the rocks will be melting
oh on that day

Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
Downpressorman where ya gonna run to
oh on that day

Where are ya gonna fuckin' run to
Downpressorman
where are ya gonna fuckin' run to

[malaise]

2. When you think Georgie you usually start with

Damn, damn damn before you scream out the big F. Levy in NOLA, Damn in Iraq - Georgie is one big fucking disaster period.

[babylonsister]

3. He does seem to enjoy the water catastrophes, doesn't he. Perhaps

he enjoys watching the floating bodies. I'll just bet they're chomping at the bit for this dam to break.

[malaise]

4. Depends on its proximity to

the Green Zone.

[babylonsister]

8. That brings up another point; can anyone blame diplomats for not

wanting to be forced into going to live in the Green Zone? I can't.

[seemslikeadream]

5. Maybe he'll do a fly by

[seemslikeadream]

6. or do some fishing

[babylonsister]

7. Bad memories, all of them. I wonder, should that dam break, how

much 'concern' he'll show.

[Tanuki]

9. I guess this means one more no-bid contract for Halliburton or Bechtel

to rebuild the damn dam, and more Blackwater mercs to guard the imported low-wage workers...

[babylonsister]

10. I don't know; if the dam blows, it might be too late. nt

[harlinchi]

11. And let's make sure everyone knows just how weak it is!

Let's encourage any evildoers to see this as a target. :sarcasm:

I know information is better than deception, sunlight is better than smoke-filled rooms and the public has a right to know but in a country with lots of folks with explosives knowledge, pointing out a juicy target with huge impact seems to invite disaster.

[babylonsister]

14. Good point; I've seen this info all over the place this a.m. I guess,

when it happens, we'll all be aware of it. Isn't that nice.

[harlinchi]

15. Just as some were screaming that prior to the bombing of the...

... Askariya shrine in Samarra, (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022200454.html ),
which was preceded (by several months) by the capture of British military dressed as Arabs
( http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20051015&articleId=1094 ), that something wicked that way went, folks now see that perhaps we're (at least) giving the bad guys a nudge or two!

Perhaps the 'bad buys' aren't the only evildoers. Perhaps we encourage, if not commit, some bad acts ourselves!

[bdamomma]

12. god, let us get the hell out of there now, haven't we killed enough

people, * is a war criminal and murderer, and he needs to be held accountable for his deadly actions.

[Contrary1]

13. So the US taxpayers get to pitch in $27M to shore it up?

Just when exactly will Iraq be expected to start paying their own way?

"Iraqi government officials do not think it is necessary to spend the estimated $10 billion for such a project."