Bremer Says Some Iraq Rebuilding Will Wait

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

The U.S. administrator in Iraq said yesterday that some reconstruction efforts will be postponed as the Bush administration continues to press for funding from Congress and foreign donors.

Help for Iraq stabilization and rebuilding was on the agenda as President Bush welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin at Camp David for two days of talks. The White House defended the $87 billion spending request Bush has made of Congress, including $20 billion for reconstruction, as necessary for U.S. national security. And L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, said some reconstruction projects for Iraq will be delayed.

(snip)

In a Pentagon briefing, Bremer said, "the general assessment is that the Iraqis need something like $60 to $70 billion over the next four or five years to put their infrastructure and their economy right." But, Bremer added: "Some of those things will undoubtedly be postponed. What we're focused on in the $20 billion is the urgent and essential things. There are things that are probably nice to have in the $60 billion to $70 billion, and that's something the Iraqi government will have to figure out how to do."

(snip)

Bush welcomed a smiling Putin to the presidential retreat yesterday afternoon by putting an arm around him and saying, "glad you're here."

The two leaders, who are to hold a news conference today, drove off in a golf cart.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A7396-2003Sep26?language=printer