Quote Originally Posted by Rank amateur View Post
Doesn't Lebanon have a parliament and a Constitution? Didn't they have a civil war and stop it?

According to the CIA

Per Capita GDP

Iraq: $1,900.
Lebanon: $5,900

Unemployment Rate

Iraq: 25-30%
Lebanon: 20%

Life Expectancy

Iraq: 69.31 years
Lebanon: 73.15 years
The figures in the CIA World Factbook tend to be dated as soon as it is published. But even slightly more accurate inexact per capita GDP estimates of roughly $7,440 for Lebanon and $1,220 for Iraq are only faint indicators of the stark difference between the countries. In any case, I feel it is petty to bicker over real differences on the ground by avoiding context through the recital of cold statistics. However, for those who enjoy perusing comparative statistics, I recommend the EIU's Risk Tracker - the gold standard of open-source services of that nature.

Ali, as others have stated, I do appreciate your insights. However, in the post in which you began this thread you very blatantly exaggerate existing problems in several neighboring countries in order to frame the minimization of problems in Iraq. Still, an interesting post - usually the spin is the other way 'round.