DOMESTIC CONDITIONS IN IRAQ

File: cia_70529_70529_02.txt
Page: 02
Total Pages: 3
Subject: DOMESTIC CONDITIONS IN IRAQ  
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 
 
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 
REQUEST. 
 
AT THE OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATE 1 DINAR EQUALS 
USD 3.2O.   AT THE BLACK MARKET RATE, ONE DINAR EQUALS           
USD 0.15. 
 
PUBLIC HEALTH IS STILL IN               A VERY BAD STATE           
WITH CASES OF CHOLERA AND TYPHOID NUMBERING IN THE                   
HUNDREDS.         DRUGS    OF ALL KINDS HAVE DISAPPEARED 
FROM THE HOSPITALS.                   VACCINES ARE SCARCE.              
HOSPITALS ARE OPEN BUT LARGELY INEFFECTIVE DUE                   
TO LACK OF SUPPLIES.               PRIVATE CLINICS  ARE 
SOMEWHAT BETTER OFF BUT                   PRICED OUT OF THE 
REACH OF ALL BUT THE WEALTHY.          NO ELECTIVE SURGERY            
IS TAKING PLACE. 
 
 
4.     COOKING OIL IS SCARCE. GASOLINE IS AVAILABLE 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND EXTREMELY LOW PRICED.                    
IN BAGHDAD ELECTRICITY IS GENERALLY SHUT OFF        THREE TO 
EIGHT HOURS DURING THE DAY. BUT THIS VARIES FROM DAY TO DAY.             
CLEAN WATER IS AVAILABLE. BOTH ELECTRICITY AND WATER ARE 
FREE. BOTTLED GAS 1S ALSO PLENTIFUL AND  CHEAP.      IN THE 
SOUTH, ELECTRICITY IS ALSO FREE BUT SELDOM AVAILABLE.                     
CLEAN WATER IS UNAVAILABLE., AND  ALL WATER MUST BE BOILED 
BEFORE DRINKING. 
 
                           PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS IN 
SERVICE BUT VERY SLOW AND IRREGULAR PRICES ARE LOW (100 FILS 
FOR A BUS RIDE) BUT LINES OF SAGES AT THE STOPS ARE 
INVARIABLY LONG. ONE CANNOT RELY OR PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO GET 
TO AND FROM WORK.                 TAXIS ARE AVAILABLE BUT 
VERY EXPENSIVE 20 DINARS FOR AR AVERAGE RIDE IN BAGHDAD. 
 
TELEVISION RECEPTION IS BACK TO NORMAL THROUGHOUT IRAQ. 
IS NOW ON THE Alit 1600-2400s IDENTICAL TO BEFORE THE WAR.                                 
RADIO ALSO NORMAL WITH PROGRAMMING BEING AIRED 0530-0230.                               
ALL FORMER ERHAL PROGRAMMING IS AGAIN BEING RECEIVED, 
INCLUDING BBC, VOA, RADIO MONTE CARLO, IRAN RADIO AND VOICE 
OF FREE IRAQ, WHICH IS GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD TO BE BROADCAST 
FROM SAUDI ARABIA. 
 
7.      NEWSPAPERS ARE BEING PUBLISHED REGULARLY.                        
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ARE AL-RADASIYYA (DEFENSE MINISTRY)* AL-
JUMHURIYYA PUBLIC, AL-THAWRA (PARTY), AL-IRAQ (KURDISH) AND 
"BABYLON" 
 
1.      INTERNAL POSTAL SERVICE IS VERY SLOW BUT GENERALLY          
WORKS AS WELL AS IT EVER HAS;         INTERNATIONAL MAIL IS 
GETTING IN VIA  AMMAN VERY SLOWLY BUT WORKING.            
THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT MAIL IS BEING OPENED.  OUTGOING 
MAIL IS ALSO GETTING THROUGH SLOWLY, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF 
CENSORSHIP. 
MOST TELEPHONES ARE WORKING IN BAGHDAD, OUT IN THE                               
SOUTH, SERVICE IS MUCH MORE SPOTTY                INTERNAL 
LONG DISTANCE IS UNRELIABLE THERE IS NO INTERNATIONAL 
SERVICE - IN OR OUT OF IRAQ. FAX SERVICE 
ING PHONE LINES) IS ABOUT THE SAME. 
 
10 . TRAVEL IS DIFFICULT BUT FREQUENT, WITH AUTO OR TAXI 
BEING THE USUAL METHOD OF GETTING BETWEEN CITIES.                      
ONE MUST APPLY FOR A SPORT FOR EXTERNAL TRAVEL. APPROVAL OF 
SECURITY OFFICIALS MUST BE GAINED GENERALLY, APPROVAL WILL 
NOT BE GIVEN TO MILITARY AGE.    OTHERS ARE USUALLY ALLOWED 
TO LEAVE IF THEY HAVE A GOOD   MOST EXTERNAL TRAVEL IS 
BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND AMMAN, WITH BEING THE MOST FREQUENT 
TRAVELERS. THERE IS NO