Iraq reconstruction needs more than $100B

[ECH1969]

The civil reconstruction of Iraq will cost at least $100 billion, U.S. officials in Baghdad told Iraqi contractors who are vying for some of the work.

"United Nations and World Bank estimates approximated Iraq's infrastructure needs to be about $60 billion (before the 2003 invasion). But this was before we had an opportunity to fully assess the condition of Iraq's infrastructure. After careful analysis, the infrastructure needs have been estimated well over $100 billion," said Terry F. Bautista, director of business management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division.

Power is available over 12 hours a day across most of the country, but in Baghdad, home to more than 6 million people, about a quarter of the Iraq population, it is only available for four hours a day. Countrywide, about 46 percent of Iraqi power needs go unmet by the fragile electrical infrastructure.

The U.S. government has put about $22 billion toward civilian reconstruction projects -- most security, power and water related -- with very mixed results so far.

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20061110-114629-4533r

[indepat]

1. What's several hundred billion dollars expended accomplished?

[MGD]

2. $341,980,512,750 and counting as of a few seconds ago.

http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

[ECH1969]

3. The vast majorty of the money is used to replace tanks and helicopters

Tanks, humvees, and helicopters are expensive.

[PSPS]

4. What?

You mean all those tanks, helicopters and humvees being destroyed by the Iraqui Air Force and Army?

Oh, wait.

[ECH1969]

5. The sand in Iraq wipes out tanks and helicopters very very quickly

[Nihil]

6. ... and the Iraqi Resistance does the same for HumVees ... (n/t)

[Liberal Veteran]

7. The war profiteers can do it for a mere 600 billion!

Whatever they estimate, I multiple by 10 and assume that's the real cost.

[phusion]

8. WTF, are we going to dole out more money?

Are they trying to push this through before January? When is someone going to demand accountability for this money?

They are robbing our treasury.

[tabasco]

9. We will be stuck with the bill, NO MATTER WHAT.

This is money that should be fixing roads, bridges, and infrastructure here in the good old USA !

Even when we beg, cajole, and bribe the UN to help us get out of Bush's clusterfuck, US taxpayers will still be stuck with the bill for rebuilding Shock & Awe. I hope the freepers enjoyed the fireworks show. Who is going to pay for it?? WE ARE.

Bush has increased the deficit so much with his illegal war and cut taxes on the Hiltons at the same time!! They knew it couldn't go on forever! As usual, the traitors will let the Democrats get us out of the quagmire and clean up the mess. They pissed away hundreds of billions to let US oil companies control Iraqi oil ! Meanwhile Bin Laden works on his latest hate video.

Stupid freeper assholes who vote for these robber barons should be flogged for dereliction of duty as a citizen.

[Tight_rope]

10. Sorry...We "AIN'T" got it. Try back in 500 years...we might be debt free then.

[dkofos]

11. I guess it would be in the best interests of the Iraqi people to

QUIT FIGHTING AND START PUMPING SOME OF THAT OIL.

[tabasco]

12. I'm sure Bremer explained all that to them.

Somehow, they can't all seem to agree where the money will go. Imagine that.

on edit: Sort of like dealing with Enron, except that Enron has a very big army in your back yard. I'm sure we're ready to cut a sweeeeeeeeet deal with the Iraqis, as long as they agree to give away most of the cash.

[nealmhughes]

13. A Marshall/WPA Plan for Iraq? and for the Palestinians?

I think people busy trying to rebuild their own infrastructure would be too busy to fight over which caliph was the right one over 1000 years ago...

Too many guys with military training and loose bombs, guns and bullets running around...same thing happened in Weimar Germany after the Allies gave them the shaft after the Versailles Peace. It is amazing that it didn't happen to a larger extent in the US South after the Civil War was over. Of course, various KKK klowns did crop up, but not to the extent of the violence in Iraq. I think they were too busy rebuilding their farms and cities to fight too terribly much.