Iraq's financial free ride may end

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Iraq's financial free ride may be over.

After five years, Republicans and Democrats seem to have found common ground on at least one aspect of the war. From the fiercest war foes to the most steadfast Bush supporters, they are looking at Iraq's surging oil income and saying Baghdad should start picking up the tab, particularly for rebuilding hospitals, roads, power lines and the rest of the shattered country.

"I think the American people are growing weary not only of the war, but they are looking at why Baghdad can't pay more of these costs. And the answer is they can," says Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

Nelson, a Democrat, is drafting legislation with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana that would restrict future reconstruction dollars to loans instead of grants.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080414/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq_free_ride_over

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Facts on Iraq reconstruction
Quick facts on Iraq reconstruction:

• Since 2003, Congress has appropriated about $47.5 billion while the Iraqis have budgeted $50.6 billion. International contributions have totaled $15.8 billion.

• The U.S. has allocated most of its money, but Iraq hasn't. In 2006 and 2007, for example, Iraq designated $16.3 billion as its capital budget, which is used to invest in reconstruction projects. But it spent only $2.9 billion.

• The Treasury Department estimates that Iraqi oil production this year will generate $35.4 billion, or 84 percent of Baghdad's revenue.

• Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, estimates that because the price of oil has increased sharply, the country's oil revenue will probably be closer to $60 billion.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080414/ap_on_go_co/free_ride_glance;_ylt=AnDQ.4qKTclxe1lAV83Y9s48KbIF

[htuttle]

1. They've been paying in blood...now we want them to pay cash for it too?

Kafka would reject this story as being too unbelievable...

[saigon68]

4. The Fat Cat Malaki is squirreling away his fortune in Swiss Banks

Don't forget Chalabi Cheney's friend

[NashVegas]

2. Maybe We Can Sue Them In World Court

Wouldn't that be a spectacle?

[tularetom]

3. You know, I don't think "they" hate us for our "freedoms"

They probably hate us because we went in and fucked up their country and now we expect them to pay for cleaning up the mess we made.

I mean it isn't like they invited us in.

[bow-tie]

5. "Financial Free Ride"

Now that's a good joke. We go into their country illegally, blow it all to hell, freeze all their money, privatize their economy and then we accuse them of a 'financial free ride'??? Jeeeeezzzzzze!

[Judi Lynn]

7. How could ANYONE be that twisted? It's painful knowing any Democrats can be found who would

be able to think in those terms.

It's impossible to see these people as human beings. The horror _Bush has heaped upon that country is beyond telling, the destruction of lives, the suffering, the grief beyond mind itself, and these raving madmen dare to pretend the country OWES us something.

They must spend a hell of a lot of time drunk, trying to drown the frantic messages from their consciences.

Welcome to D.U., bow-tie. :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[xchrom]

6. only underscores the notion that 'it's about the oil'.

now it will only be even more interesting to follow the money.

[cliss]

8. This article gets the 2008 Award for

"most off-Base" or "Delusional with a capital "D"

The Iraqis have had their country destroyed by the U.S. And now we want them to pay for it???

Money - lots of it
Also, Iraq has money. Lots of it. I believe they are currently exporting around 1.3 million barrels of oil / day.
The U.S. is no doubt skimming off quite a bit of that.

[LynnTheDem]

9. But the killing will continue!

Long live the illegal occupiers! USA! USA! USA!