Iraqis rebuilding without US support

This is encouraging.

Iraqis in the area have taken it upon themselves to rebuild their communities without monetary support from the U.S. government.

"For most local projects we give to the Iraqis, the contractors need to send the idea and the projected costs to me and I run it through my chain of command for approval," said Duane, a native of Westminster, Calif. "Now, they are starting to use their own funds to pay for construction of property."

The locals have also started a number of their own projects without the help or resources of the American government.

"This is a huge step because it is something that is rarely heard of," said Duane. "We have been using taxpayers' dollars to do much of the reconstruction since we liberated Iraq and I think some of the locals just got used to the U.S. assistance. Now, we are starting to see the people in areas that are fairly secure raise money from within and do their own infrastructure projects."

"We have to start doing things for ourselves," said Mul-Allah Hamreen, local contractor. "We need to pay for our own future."

Hamreen is also a local resident and is currently building a liquid propane gas distribution center to allow the locals to get the gas at a reasonable price.

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