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Qubad Talabani at the International
Conference in Illinois
31.10.2006
By Catherine Cambra, ELAINE HOPKINS |
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Peoria, Illinois
, -- Qubad Talabani, the son of the Iraqi president
was in Peoria yesterday October 30.
He was weighing in on the death toll in Iraq, seeing
as October has been one of the deadliest months for
us troops.
Qubad Talabani says the situation in Iraq is far
from ideal, but he's confident the country's making
progress.
While the US army is working with Iraqi security
forces to step up operations in Baghdad. Talabani
says casualties will continue to be an unfortunate
consequence, but he says the country is large and
there are many areas of the country that are
prospering, stable and conducive to economic
development opportunities. |
Qubad J. Talabani, representative of the Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan and of the Iraqi Kurdistan
Regional Government to the U.S.
Photo:CSIS |
As a representative of the Kurdistan regional
government, he's most concerned about building
business relations between Iraq and the US.
His other concerns include the direction Iraq is
heading in, the issues of religion versus state, and
how secular or Islamic the country will be.
The politics underlying the mega-construction
business became apparent Monday as pleas for free
trade and globalization along with public and
private funding for construction projects and ways
to sell these ideas were aired at the International
Construction Innovations Conference at the Hotel
Pere Marquette.
The event, sponsored by Bradley University,
Caterpillar Inc. and others, has attracted 311
participants, including top government and industry
officials from throughout the world.
A delegation from Iraq insisted that violence there
will soon subside and parts of the country already
are safe for investment.
Qubad Jalal Talabani, son of the president of Iraq
and a representative of the Kurdistan regional
government, told the conference that Kurdistan, like
other regions in Iraq, is secure and needs
infrastructure projects.
Meanwhile, the Iraq government continues to fight
the terrorists and insurgents, he said.
"I'm not here to tell you all is well, and we are
satisfied. (But) we will stand and continue to fight
because we know we will win," he said.
If the U.S. gives in to "the defeatists and
naysayers," Iraq could become like Afghanistan after
the Soviets withdrew, he said, and become a home for
terrorism.
Talabani and others criticized the news media for
not presenting the "good news" about Iraq.
U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, then commented on
Talabani's remarks, saying: "You'll never see this
message on the front page of the local paper. This
is the truth about what's going on in Iraq. Every
American life is important but this is the message
about the good things that are happening."
LaHood also led a small group meeting on rebuilding
Lebanon.
Caterpillar president Jim Owens said people
everywhere want higher living standards, which come
from construction of homes, schools and hospitals,
as well as infrastructure. But political stability,
the rule of law, open markets and free trade also
are necessary.
"The solution is not putting up walls and embracing
protectionism," Owens said. He urged those at the
conference to "provide that education" to others,
and "talk about the benefits of globalization to
make a better world for all citizens."
Stephen Sandherr, CEO of Associated General
Contractors of America, told the conference that the
Senate's bill on immigration reform needs support.
It would provide a way for undocumented immigrants
to pay fees and fines and work in the U.S.
He said a reliable study shows that illegal
immigrants make up 25 percent of the construction
workforce.
"If you round up illegal workers in the construction
industry and send them back, our industry would
probably shut down," he said.
He also urged formation of a clean and safe drinking
water trust fund, similar to the federal highway
trust fund, to provide reliable funding for water
projects.
Further, he said the gasoline tax "should be indexed
to inflation" so it doesn't come up for periodic
votes in Congress.
"We need a bold innovative strategy in the next
highway bill," he said, including perhaps a tax
based on vehicle miles driven.
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