[标准VOA] 伊拉克的小生意重现生机(2)[080815]
Kabul has received a $2,500 loan from the U.S. government to improve his business. Since 2003, the U.S. has given about $18-million in loans to small Iraqi businesses.
He says business is good and he hopes to open a bigger shop. He wants to buy new tables and chairs.
This small business owner works in Baghdad's Green Zone, a safer area controlled by the U.S. military. For the past four years, he and his son have been selling souvenirs, mostly to U.S. troops.
He says he used to make a decent living. But now that more U.S. troops are leaving Iraq, he says that is difficult.
South of Baghdad, two Iraqi businessmen built a gasoline station in the town of Tunis. It's the only station for many kilometers. They say they opened the station after the area became safer. Customers line up to fill their vehicles as well containers with gasoline.
They say they have many customers, but the station sometimes runs out of gasoline because there are not enough trucks transporting gas from southern Iraq.
