Iraq's Police Academy Is Full of Shit - Literally

Feces and urine rained from the ceilings in student barracks. ~ Washington Post, 9/27/2006

There is nothing more basic for a civilized society than disposing of human waste. Arab societies especially consider such cleanliness a moral imperative. That the brand new, American built, $75 million Baghdad Police Academy is a festering cesspool that is falling apart less than two years after construction began goes beyond the corruption that caused it to be a hearts-and-minds disaster.

Building a competent, professional police force is supposed to be priority of the American occupation. War supporters have trumpeted this academy as proof of progress. Yet, this disgusting facility can only demoralize recruits even while they are being trained. Any competent commander would have blown up the buildings (apparently insurgents have tried) reasoning that sleeping in tents is better than sleeping in shit. But, competent commander and Americans in Iraq is an oxymoron.
Things are no better outside the walls of the police academy. This photo of raw sewage flooding an Iraq street was taken by award winning photographer Kenneth O'Halloran.

The Baghdad Police Academy contractor was Parsons Corp. There is some good news from the Iraq police force - no luck with those insurgents but they did catch a pot farmer.