Bush Paper Details Iraq Spending Plan

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030922/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq_reconstruction&cid=540&ncid=1478

WASHINGTON - The administration wants $100 million for an Iraqi witness protection program, $290 million to hire, train and house thousands of firefighters, $9 million to modernize the postal service, including establishment of ZIP codes.

A Bush administration document, distributed to members of Congress and obtained by The Associated Press, goes far beyond the details officials have publicly provided for how they would spend the $20.3 billion they have requested for Iraqi reconstruction.

The 53 pages of justifications flesh out the size of the task of rebuilding the country, almost literally brick by brick. It also paints a painstaking picture of the damage Iraq (news - web sites) has suffered.

"The war and subsequent looting destroyed over 165 firehouses throughout the country. There are no tools or equipment in any firehouse," according to the report, written by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the U.S.-led organization now running Iraq.

more

[realFedUp]

1. A few items on the list:

_Retain 500 experts to investigate crimes against humanity by former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s government, for $100 million.
(if the US intends killing Saddam, why would they need 500 people
investigating his crimes?)

_Build and modernize 26 jails and prisons for 8,500 inmates, $99 million.

_Spend $9 million to modernize Iraq's postal system, including establishment of ZIP codes.

_Rebuild the country's badly damaged electrical system, install at least 11 40-megawatt gas turbine generation plants and several larger units, replace power lines and towers, $2.9 billion.

_Spend $55 million for an oil pipeline repair team that can respond quickly to new reports of sabotage or other problems, as part of a $2.1 billion effort to rebuild Iraq's oil industry.

_Use $1 billion to provide drinkable water to 75 percent of Iraq's urban population, an additional 2.7 million people, up from 60 percent today. An additional $530 million would be spent to serve 75 percent of the rural population, an additional 1.3 million, many of whom now rely on water trucked in as infrequently as once every 10 days. Eventual goal: serve 90 percent of the population, $2.8 billion.

continued

[NNN0LHI]

6. Sounds like Junior is doing some real nation building over there in Iraq

[Cappurr]

2. These guys are crazy...

Before the war, the mantra was "Iraq is rich....the oil will pay for the reconstruction". Now they want us .... the taxpayers to rebuld infastructure so rich corporations can do business safely and conveniently and make billions of dollars (with lots of tax advantages). Why don't these corporations pay to upgrade the infastructure they are going to need and use? Or let the Iraqi people have the milllions they claim Sadaam hid and let them handle their own rebuilding. We can bring our soldiers home and save 87 billion dollars and the UN can go in and take over until Iraq is in decent shape.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Quick! Go hide all those tax cut "refund" dollars.

BushCo. wants 'em back.

[RC]

4. What happened to the "Mayor of Baghdad"?

He seemed to be doing a pretty good job of organizing people and getting the electricity and water flowing again till he was arrested and disappeared down a black hole never to be heard form again. How many others like him were disappeared also.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/Stories/0,1413,203%257E27069%257E1354601,00.html

U.S. forces arrest 'mayor of Baghdad'

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi exile who had proclaimed himself Baghdad's mayor and begun issuing directives to city workers was arrested Sunday by U.S. forces, who accused him of exerting authority he didn't have.

Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi was arrested in downtown Baghdad "for his inability to support the coalition military authority and for exercising authority which was not his," U.S. military spokesman Capt. David Connolly said in Baghdad.

Soldiers arrested seven others found with al-Zubaidi, Connolly said without identifying them. He said he was unsure where the men were taken but indicated they were in U.S. custody. Five were released a short time later, U.S. Central Command said.

"Al-Zubaidi was detained and then removed from Baghdad to prevent his continued misrepresentation of his authority as the mayor of Baghdad," the command said in a statement.

[kayell]

5. Bush*s early notes

50% for Halliburton
25% for bribing other countries, better make that 35% to allow for a little extra to reach our "friends"
2% for the troops - wish we could cut this down more, but until the economy sinks low enough that NO other jobs are available, I guess we'll have to keep paying them. Darn.
5% to keep looking for those darn WMD - try to make it look convincing. - Scratch that, we've got another plan Rummy says.
25% for some really cool new toys that go boom!
25% for some great messages to the Iraqis so that they will know how happy they really are. Make sure to get good videos for Fox of the happy Iraqis.
5% to keep feeding the troops - dang, Uncle Dick says that the families won't vote for me if the stupid troops die of malnutrition or dehydration.

Dang, that looks like....well a lot of %s. Better ask Congress for a few more billion.

[bluedog]

7. well this

is total bullshit.....like we are freaking working, for bush to spend our tax money in Iraq? We do not have federal taxes ---pay to Iraq---printed on our tax forms.....

[NNN0LHI]

8. Halliburton (with 2 L's) does not work cheap n/t