These grants are a splendid idea, which has worked before in other countries.
Back in the 70s, NPR ran a film about a similar process going on in India.
One story showed a mercantile area in the making. A grant was given to a bicycle mechanic who had few tools and could do little but repair flats. With a micro-grant from his government (like 500 rupees), he set up shop at a barren crossroads. Soon pasers by began bringing in their bikes and waiting while they were repaired.
An enterprising barber set up shop next door and offered to “cut hair while you wait”. More people showed up. Another guy set up a tea shop so people could refresh themselves while they waited for the bike-repair or haircut. Then some blacksmith set up an operation and began fabricating bicycle parts on the spot, which generated a demand for other blacksmith repairs, and so on.
The movie showed a time-lapse view of the empty crossroads - first just the lone bike repairer, then the barber, etc. Soon there were about a dozen little shops clustered around the crossroads, all offering services and creating prosperity for the area.
The Iraqis, like the Iranians, once given a safe free-enterprise environment, will show the same spirit. Kudos to our side for spending money wisely - in the best tradition of “give a man a fish . . . teach a man to fish”.
Yea! We need to give them all we can. We only pay each one of them $300.00 per month for patrolling their area.