If we're done, can we go home how?
The rebuilding of Iraq is complete, so says the Bush administration.
BAGHDAD -- The Bush administration does not intend to seek any new funds for Iraq reconstruction in the budget request going before Congress in February, officials say. The decision signals the winding down of an $18.4 billion U.S. rebuilding effort in which roughly half of the money was eaten away by the insurgency, a buildup of Iraq's criminal justice system and the investigation and trial of Saddam Hussein.
posted by mikevotes at
7:44 AM
6 Comments:
Half of the 18.4 billion was 'eaten up by the insurgency'?!! WTF does that mean? Gives a new meaning to the term 'lunch money'...
By
Neil Shakespeare, at 8:29 AM
This new assertion of Bush's is interesting. Maybe now we have the context for the administration's intent to privatize the "stabilization" efforts with a billion made available through USAID. I blogged on this back in early December.
Bary eeenteresting!
By
Anonymous, at 9:04 AM
Kvatch,
Everytime I blog on something out of Iraq, you've done a near version of the same thing about a month before me.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 10:31 AM
Of course he's not asking for further reconstruction funds...today. He won't put that request forth until after he gives The State of the Union.
So, half the money has gone towards legitimate "reconstruction?" Who judges in which column the dollars go for reconstructing damaged highways, oil lines, etc. that may or may not have been blown up the night before? If they're admitting that 50% went to odd items including that nagging little insurgency, anyone want to wager against me that the 50% figure isn't low? I keep seeing military figures (lending an air of "I'm there" legitimacy?) talking about all the infastructure progress we've made. Anyone seen any photos of $9.2 billion worth of bright new boulevards or teeming airport terminals or shiny new electrical generators or a clean and orderly orphanage or, hell, even one, modern, well-equipped Iraqi police vehicle?
Mike? Got a picture of the day on that one?
By
Anonymous, at 11:29 AM
Good point, Bill. Welcome back to Houston!
Yeah, that must be the good news that's not being reported by the evil mainstream media.
And remember, we're talking contractors so it might not be buildings in the plural, it might just be the Denver airport.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 2:01 PM
Everytime I blog on something out of Iraq, you've done a near version of the same thing about a month before me.
Sorry. That's just me shamelessly whoring my own blog. (And jumping in my handy dandy time-machine in order to backdate my posts in a truly non-tracable way. :-) )
But seriously, I can't take the credit. Stacy B over at Cafe Politico dug that nugget out of the reconstruction plan documents themselves. And I should add that you both have a patience for analysis that I can't touch.
By
Anonymous, at 2:06 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home