Why Are U.S. Taxpayers Funding Reconstruction While Iraq Reaps Oil Profits?
At a time when American families are feeling an economic squeeze in large part because we are paying so much for foreign oil, we are also paying billions of dollars in Iraq -- even though Iraq is flush with soaring oil profits.
A new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailing expenditures and revenues of the Government of Iraq estimates that Iraq will generate up to $86 billion this year from oil revenues, primarily driven by the high price of oil being paid by Americans and others. But, strikingly, Iraq is likely to only spend a fraction of its revenues this year and is allowing U.S. taxpayers to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq.
This report reminds us of the significant failures of the Bush administration's Iraq policy. Only when we set a timeline for the redeployment of our troops and military contractors from Iraq will Iraqis be forced to take responsibility for their own country. Instead of continuing to spend $10 billion every month on the war while Iraq pockets huge oil revenues, we should end the War in Iraq and bring our troops home to their families.
The Bush administration's Iraq policy has already imposed significant costs for Americans. In fact, U.S. taxpayers have spent over $600 billion in Iraq, including about $48 billion for stabilization and reconstruction activities. According to the GAO report, the Iraqi government has generated over $90 billion in sales of crude oil from 2005 to 2007 and will generate close to that amount in 2008 alone.
The Government of Iraq's failure to adequately invest in its own population and infrastructure is a direct byproduct of President Bush's failed strategy in Iraq. An American military occupation has not created meaningful political progress, and the Government of Iraq has allowed U.S. taxpayers to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq.
While America's troops have made sacrifices, Iraq's politicians have not fulfilled their responsibilities, and the Bush administration has not held them accountable. It is little surprise that Iraq has neglected to adequately invest its massive oil revenues when the United States continues to shoulder the burden.
Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35) is Chair and Cofounder of the Out of Iraq Caucus.
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So Iraq invades Kuwait and is forced to pay reparations for damages, but we plan, bomb, destroy, and plunder Iraq? and then we have the indignation to ask them to pay for it? That's rich. Same double standards as always.
Because we broke it? While killing tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis?
Creating millions of refugees from their own homeland? Because Saddam wanted "to kill my daddy"?
We broke it, we should fix it.
Bush was supposed to be a "lame duck' president for the remainder of his term after the 2006 Congressional elections. Instead, the exact opposite has occurred. Congress has allowed Bush to have his way on nearly every major issue to the severe detriment of the US.
Exponential profits have been made by the no-bid contractors like KBR, with monumental waste and mismanagement at the expense of the US taxpayer. Iraq has banked masses of revenue thanks to the surge in oil prices (due to the disastrous effects of the war in the Middle East ), most of which will likely end up in the Swiss bank accounts of corrupt Iraqi officials. All of this has occurred on Congress' watch.
It's a bit rich for Democratic Congresspeople to be complaining about the situation now. Even if they didn't drive these actions themselves, they have been complicit in allowing them to continue.
I believe that Bush, and Cheney, and all of those who profited from this fraudulent war in Iraq should be made to pay for its reconstruction. After all, the American taxpayer was scammed into this war by a carefully orchestrated set of lies and distortions promulgated widely by a complicit media. Wouldn't you just love to see Halliburton's profits, and Bush and Cheney's family fortunes consumed in Iraq's reconstruction? It would be perfect justice. Those responsible should be made to pay. What could be more fair?
Ah Ms. Waters.
Your question mirrors that of Carl Levin at the news that Iraq has money.
Understand please, that most of us get that Iraq was planned. The chaos was planned. Is it not so much easier to steal in the midst of chaos?
There is no movement towards impeachment because Democrats are as guilty as Republicans. Congress provided no oversight until Dems got committee chair positions. Mr. Waxman has been tireless, but what comes of it?
We owe the Iraqis so much more than money. To hear you people in power start to blame them was predictable. All the more national shame. Learn this: occupations don't end well.
Now we have at least two, Amb. Ginsberg and Rep. Waters, leading the braying for Iraq to pay for some of its reconstruction. If this is at all representative of the critical thinking skills and analysis at the highest levels of our government, it is absolutely no wonder that we have so many foreign policy mistakes and debacles.
Iraq: We invaded, occupied and destroyed a country that had not attacked us and posed no threat to us. We did so based upon lies, deceit and distortion. We did so to take their natural resource, oil. These ares a violation of international law, i.e., war crimes.
There are 1 million Iraqis dead, 4.7 million refugees (we've accepted less than 10,000) into this country), and their infrastructure destroyed, i.e., electricity, water, sewage, phones, etc. We have imprisoned 10s of thousands, and tortured many. These are crimes against humanity.
It is our moral and legal obligation to completely rebuild Iraq. Furthermore, we should pay reparations to Iraq for these crimes. That could be determined as 1,000,000 dead times the statistical value of life of $6.9millio
If each of us were to get an invoice for their share of this cost as well as the $3tillion of our own costs that the Congress has put on our kid's and grandkid's charge card, perhaps we'd be less likely to allow our government to lie us into wars in the future.
Now think of Iran.
great post and so true!
The reason taxpayers are paying for the rebuilding in Iraq is because as Colin Powell said before they invaded against his warning "You break it.You own it." We are responsible for destroying a country and killing and displacing several hundred thousand people. Our president is directly responsible for this debacle but the american taxpayers are the ones paying dearly. The iraqi people didn't ask us for our "so called" liberation. So it's our responsibility to repair the damage, if possible. I think you are wrong to blame the Iraqi leaders. Now they are asking us to leave and that's what we should finally do.
The point of the article is for them to take control of the rebuilding with THEIR money, their people and their labor. We could provide logistics and material, but Iraq should be billed. Hoarding money will lead to the same conditions that brought Saddam to power.
Why should they when we are responsible?
The important concept is, no one who is a citizen of the country should be hired--they have too many expectations for benefits. Use slaves from Asia and Mexico at home, and from Pakistan in Iraq. And always, always cry "human rights" if anyone suggests controlling population of the poorest of the poor.
Sorry Rep.Waters
It's not clear to me if the Democrats are hoping that Obama will win in Nov and end this all or it's failure to end will result in his win. But the polls, such as they are, certainly don't imply an "end the war" landslide so it is not a given. And embarrassingly for some of us, the election will be about the economy, and not the war. So much for our priorities and morals in the nation still whining about prayer in the schools, the holy sanctity of marriage, and pandering to the religious right.
It took huge protest marches and sit-ins to end Vietnam. And that was driven by and large by a military draft. Now we have a volunteer military and paid contractors making this a money thing and not a personal life and death issue except for our soldiers. And even the cost of this illegal invasion is too much of a step away from filling our gas tanks and house payments for a good part of our country.
Consider escalating your voice to the next step..
Why, it's quite simple, Maxine. You see, when America holds the 'no-bid' contracting agenda, they get to award the contract to any of their 'friends' that they choose. You know, keep the money in the 'family', so to speak.
You people in Washington think the average American is so stupid we can't figure this out. But, guess what?
We cannot let this question die. It is important to know the truth, and we must pursue an answer throughout the election cycle. The American public deserves to know why this is happening!
Why? Because the rich guys who bought and paid for the Presidency want a return on their investment and Congress has gone along with this insanity since they are paid for as well, albeit at a discount. Next Question?
"Why Are U.S. Taxpayers Funding Reconstruction While Iraq Reaps Oil Profits?"
Because the US effing well did all the damage in the first place. What is difficult to understand about this?
Not only did the United States deliberately destroy the infrastructure of soveriegn nation, but you also looted 8 billion dollars in oil-for-food revenue which the UN had in trust for the people of Iraq: the US talked the UN into giving Paul Bremer's operation the cash, after promising to account for how it was spent, but that accounting has never occurred, and the US cannot say what happened to the money.
The reason we should pay for reconstruction? Our invasion started the destruction of their country. An invasion fueled by lies.
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