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August 3, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - Daily attacks on U.S. soldiers, infiltration of terrorists, and mischief-making by Iran and Syria have dominated the postwar headlines over the last two months - creating an image of a quagmire in the making.
But the guerrilla war is only a part of the story of what's taking place in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, according to administration officials and outside experts.
Quietly and steadily, U.S. and coalition forces and the civilian administration have made real progress in rebuilding the Iraqi nation - a society, an economy and an infrastructure shattered by three decades of tyranny, war, neglect and corruption
In just two months, 100 independent newspapers have started, garbage is regularly picked up off the streets, oil fields are running, banks are open and a vast majority of Iraqi university students have finished their final exams.
The humanitarian crisis many experts predicted has been averted.
"Although we might get the impression that our involvement over there is tottering on the edge of failure, the fact is that in two months, we have brought Iraq to a point in recovery that Germany, Italy and Japan after World War II didn't reach until after a year and a half," said Cmdr. Chris Isleib, spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority.
Based on interviews with coalition authorites and experts, here's The Post's report card of the progress in Iraq.