If this isn't the handwriting on the wall, what is?

[lindashaw]

Countries Resist Aid To Iraq

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1803&ncid=1803&e=2&u=/washpost/20030902/pl_washpost/a11848_2003sep1

snip...

France is the most prominent country that opposes endorsing the existing occupation or substantially underwriting Iraq's expenses. But many other countries are also showing a "reluctance that is not just unfortunate, it's disgraceful," said a senior foreign diplomat in New York, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He said potential donors were in a "wait-and-see mode."

snip...

The sheer scope of Iraq's needs suggests that international donations will be a valuable but limited source of funds, said Johanna Mendelson Forman, an Iraq specialist for the United Nations Foundation who recently returned from the country. "The kinds of needs Bremer is describing, which is basically gutting the whole electrical system and water system and redoing it, are not the kinds of things donor conferences are about," Mendelson Forman said. "That's not the kind of price tag you're going to see donors running up to."

[liberalhistorian]

1. Maybe they're reluctant to give any money

because they know that Iraq wouldn't be in this mess if we hadn't attacked it in the first place, against the advice and wishes of almost every other country? I could say something like we made our bed, now we have to lie in it, but that means that ALL of us will end up lying in the bed, including those who opposed the war from the beginning. But I will say to those "shocked" by this that WE TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!

[Divernan]

2. It maximizes Haliburton profits to gut entire infrastructure and rebuild.

GUTTING the whole electrical system and water system and rebuilding it! ! ! ! Every community in the U.S. is under punitive time tables from the EPA to modernize our old and failing local water systems, but none of them are GUTTING them. Why? Because it would cost far more! Should we be surprised that Bush, or rather Chaney, is unilaterally dictating this obscene wasting of yet more billions?
On top of that, I bet Halliburton will go on the cheap with both labor and materials, so the systems will be in constant need of replacing parts, etc. An endless cash cow for the corporation, as part of the endless herd of cash cows for the military industrial complex under Bush's endless war doctrine.

[JPace]

3. "Countries Resist Aid To Iraq"

It is the perfect response from a world
that wants to weaken the AWOL regime that
has shamelessly and arrogantly bullied
the world.

It is passive aggressive behavior on a
massive level, one wins a situation by
doing nothing.

While I abhor watching our troops suffer
the consequences of a failed foreign
policy and the bleeding off of domestically
needed American tax dollars, I can't help
but feel some satisfaction in watching the
nervousness of bush, Rove, Rice, and Rummy.

I hope the world makes them beg.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. How nice of Bremer...

to suggest we gut and rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure so soon after the blackout here.