Qatar Agrees to Waive Iraq Debt

[demdave]

ABU DHABI, 21 January 2004 — Qatar said yesterday that it would waive most of the $4 billion or so Iraq owes it and will consider writing off the rest.

“The state of Qatar will forgive most of the debts Iraq owes it and will consider waiving the remaining amount at a later, more appropriate time,” a Qatar Foreign Ministry official said following talks between Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad ibn Khalifa Al-Thani and the US envoy James Baker.

“Reducing debt in 2004 is a crucial and defining issue and provides Iraqi people a chance to build a free and prosperous country,” the Qatari official told the state news agency QNA.

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[La_Serpiente]

1. this is a step

in the right direction

[lumpy]

2. They sure in hell

can afford it and the Shiites will applaud the help from their religious brethern.

[Mika]

3. J Baker III must have made an offer..

.. they couldn't refuse. :nuke:

[tom_paine]

5. Yep, one wonders how much of the Imperial Treasury

was siphoned off in order to bribe them.

Perhaps some Imperial State Secrets or some classified technology?

Who know what of our national security or future the Imperials traded off to get this concession.

The more Iraq debt forgiven, the more reconstruction funds can be kicked back to Imperial Friends.

[peacetalksforall]

4. Qatar...well what do you know...

In a normal world this could be a step in the right direction...

but in the world of our PNACers, it probably means that we either

threatened to move out of Qatar and take our Pentagon 2 and White House 2 base in Qatar and move it to Bahrain or some other neighbor country. (weak reason)

OR - we told them you tell the world that you're going to forgive debt to get the ball rolling and we will pay you double (with U.S. taxpayers money).

In other words - I don't believe one thing coming out of this administration unless it is decimating to us and our constitution and especially - lives, limbs, minds, commerce of and for the little people, incredible fear and unrest in our country and around the world.

Believe me, they have run this through one or more think tanks to determine the risk of having to acquire Iraq's debt and if yes, what the cost would be in paying or bribing other countries to forgive it.

By the way - did Qatar have owe the U.S. money before we moved in? Does it owe anything now? How much is it making from our moving in to their country.

[lumpy]

6. Good article

in March 2003 National Geographic concerning the very rich nation of Qatar and its cautiously studied move towards democracy. I recommend NG for gaining insight into the workings of mideast countries. Bonus, the publication is readily available. Qatar leadership is to be applauded for sponsoring and founding Al Jazeera, probably one of the best unbiased news outlets in the mideast.