If we had just GIVEN Iraq 100 Billion, wouldn't they be better off??

[Worst Username Ever]

We'd impose a few loose restrictions of course, but I bet they could have gotten things rolling a lot smoother, without all the anti-american hatred. Oh yeah and we wouldn't have 30,000 dead iraqis and americans. Hm.

[JuniorPlankton]

1. The problem is that you don't know how to distribute that aid

You can't give it to Saddam and his guys; it would get stolen.
Or Saddam's successors.
(This is what happened in the USSR)
So what do you do?

[bloom]

2. That is what I've always thought.

I'm sure Iraqis would have been able to figure out something better than what the Bush administration has orchestrated.

[eaprez]

3. Thats logical only if....

...you fall for the logic that this was about the liberation of Iraq. Illogical if you believe that the U.S. intended to establish permanent military bases there.

[Worst Username Ever]

4. Ah, yes.

I am going with the repug argument that we are doing it to better the Iraqis, which is obvioulsy false is you listen to the contradictory arguments made by the pugs themselves. If you go for the true purpose of bases and oil, giving money won't help much.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Considering that it costs over $4 million to kill each Iraqi...

in this "war", I'd think buying them off would be a helluva lot cheaper.

Give each Iraqi man, woman and child about $450 ($100bil divided by population) and open a Walmart. A nation of happy consumers.

[jackstraw45]

6. Imagine if we gave America's schools $100 billion for training teachers...

books...facilities...art & music programs...after school programs to keep kids off the streets.

Bush killed Clinton's successful after school programs...needed the money to go kill Iraqis.

[ElementaryPenguin]

7. Yes, they would. But the Military Industrial Complex would NOT!

And THAT'S what matters to the evil Busheviks!

[prolesunited]

8. You missed the whole point then

It isn't about giving $100 billion to improve the quality of life in Iraq.

It is about giving $100 billion to defense contractors like GE and their corporate cronies at Halliburton, et al.

If Iraqis are actually helped somewhere along the way, that's just a bonus.

[Worst Username Ever]

9. Yes, see my previous post.

[noiretextatique]

10. what...throw money at the problem?!?!

only if it's taxpayer money used to enrich corporations.