The headline on the Web site I saw read: "Iraqis offer tips to U.S. on dealing with blackouts." This was, of course, the day after the biggest blackout in North American history, an event so much discussed precisely because blackouts are so rare in the United States.

The idea that Iraqis would be offering advice would be amusing were it not that blackouts are an everyday occurrence for them.

Ravaged by two decades of almost nonstop war, not to mention internal oppression and bureaucratic incompetence, Iraq's infrastructure is in such a sorry state that only a sustained effort by the U.S. government and the Iraqi people—principally, its engineers—can bring it to the standards of the industrialized world.

The situation in Iraq presents the U.S. engineering community with a unique challenge, and how this nation's mechanical, electrical, civil, and other engineers respond will be a test of the global commitment of our societies.

ASME and several other U.S. engineering societies have been interacting on a regular basis with the Iraqi Engineers Union since the major hostilities ended in Iraq.

The Iraqi Engineers Union is a confederation of many different engineering disciplines, each with its own division in the main organization. The IEU is woefully ill-equipped to be of much assistance with rebuilding the shattered country. Members of the group have informed U.S. engineering societies that their engineering education is at least 20 years behind that of the industrialized world. They have pleaded for assistance from U.S. engineers, and ASME and other societies are working hard to establish an appropriate level of support.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is guiding the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure, recognizes that it needs assistance from stateside engineering societies. Face-to-face dialogue is taking place and plans are being laid for concrete assistance.

Video conferences with Iraqi engineers have revealed the extent of the problem. Those engineers have stated that they need formal contacts with U.S. engineers in order to begin rejoining the world engineering community.

The engineers have requested special categories of membership in U.S. engineering societies; up-to-date publications, such as Mechanical Engineering magazine, conference proceedings, and white papers; in-person access to technical conferences in the United States and other countries; current codes and standards, particularly related to construction of buildings, but also for pipeline safety; establishment of Iraqi chapters or sections of U.S. engineering societies; and distance learning programs that are conducted via the Internet and telephone.

Until recently, the Army Corps of Engineers was basically in charge of running Iraqi ministries like housing, transportation, and higher education. In a recent video conference, the corps representatives reported that, as of the beginning of September, Iraqis had taken over the ministerial posts. The corps folks are now advisors, rather than administrators. They reported that the Iraqis are writing solicitations, awarding contracts, and doing many of the things necessary to reestablish a working infrastructure.

The Army Corps of Engineers' representatives also reported that the Iraqi Engineers Union is holding its first free elections and will soon have leaders for its divisions. When the IEU leadership is in place, dialogue with division representatives will be possible.

Through ongoing dialogue with both the corps on the ground in Iraq and with the Iraqi Engineers Union, ASME and other societies will continue to provide as much assistance as is possible and practicable.

In the meantime, there are ways that individual ASME members can assist engineers in Iraq.

Engineers Without Borders-USA, a nonprofit organization established in 2000, was set up to help developing areas worldwide with their engineering needs, while involving and training a new kind of internationally responsible engineer.

As the name implies, the engineering group is an international organization that's on the model of Doctors Without Borders. Both organi- zations have been formed to bring humanitarian aid to those too poor to buy it.

The group's projects involve the design and construction of water, sanitation, and energy systems, and shelter. Projects are initiated by, and completed with, contributions from the host community, which is trained to operate the systems. In this way, Engineers Without Borders ensures that its projects are self-sustaining. The projects are conducted by groups of students under the supervision of faculty and by practicing engineers.

By involving students in the process, the program maximizes their learning and awareness of the social, economic, environmental, political, ethical, and cultural influences of engineering. The Web site for Engineers Without Borders is www.engineerswithoutborders.org.

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