[M.D. Holloway]

legion - I think the Marshal plan worked in Germany and Japan for a few reasons:
1) Germany was heavily industrialized and had a good source of folks with some chops. The country always could pull together and focus albeit misguided sometimes. The bombing was a disruption but it didn't brake them. Their society and education lended itself to be well on it's way to being a major player in the world economy. They could come back and they did.
2) Japan was also industrialized and had/has a society that values hard work and redundent education which lends itself to being able to knock products out. They may or may not work as hard (this has always been controversal) but they do mass produc ewith the best of them.
3) Japen adopted Charles Deming when the US laughed at him. What the Deming princples did for Japan was nothing less than miraculous. I know many engineers and scientists from Japan and even Korea and China. What they lack in imagination that more than make up for in technocal chops and can apply what they learn very very well. Make no bones about it - Japanese folks are creative, just not as lofty as the Americans.
4) Iraq has a old culture but a devided one as well. They just do not have the chops or mindset that the Germans or the Japanese have when it comes to industrialization. If Japan or Germany had the oil interests that Iraq has we would have a compeletly different world. I am most sure of that.

Prediction - Iraq will never be able to sustain itself as it sits right now. To much is getting in their way...including their culture, more's, and folkway's. Really sad, becuase they can be a beautiful people with a rich past.