The price tag for rebuilding Iraq.

[BOBDN]

Senator Trent Lott was on Hardball with Chris Matthews tonight. He was asked about the cost of the invasion, occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. Chris Matthews asked Lott directly whether any of the reasons given by Bush and the ideologues responsible for the invasion have been proven. The WMD. The ties to 9/11. The terrorist connections. The imminent threat Iraq posed.

Lott was unable to give an answer.

When asked about the projected costs Lott was unable to give an answer.

When asked about the idea floated by Bush that the reconstruction of Iraq would be paid for by Iraqi oil sales Lott was unable to give an answer.

When asked how the US will pay for the Iraq invasion Lott was unable to give an answer.

Let's talk about the economics of this venture.

The US is currently spending $4 billion per month in Iraq. The US has appropriated $70 billion on top of the monthly costs. Paul Bremer said today the money appropriated so far is gone and the US will need to make another appropriation now to keep rebuilding Iraq.

We are facing an estimated $480 billion deficit for 2004. This figure is from the Congressional Budget Office. It does not include the cost of the Iraq invasion.

How are US taxpayers supposed to pay for rebuilding Iraq? Senator Lott said we must rebuild their economy. Are we to rebuild Iraq's economy at the price of our economy?

 

[phillyTIM]

BOBDN! Welcome back! I'm so glad you haven't left us for naught!

 

[phillyTIM]

The great thing about all these "non-answers" are that Election '04 is going to turn them into answers one way or another, and the Bush Regime really will have to justify and live up to what it's done. Iraq will be George's political grave.

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: phillyTIM
BOBDN! Welcome back! I'm so glad you haven't left us for naught!

Thanks phillyTIM.

I took a couple of days off to put things in perspective. My perspective hasn't changed. The events of the past couple days only served to reenforce it.

 

[phillyTIM]

Yup yup, put on your firesuit, this is probably the lull during the storm. Thanks for helping to fight the good fight tho!

 

[BOBDN]

I'd like someone to explain to me the economics of the nation building we're now responsible for in Iraq.

 

[DealMonkey]

You expected straight answers out of Lott? Seriously, he's probably afraid to answer any questions for, who knows, those "negros" may drag his cracker-ass back on BET to better explain himself.

 

[BOBDN]

A link to L. Paul Bremer's remarks in an article in the Washington Post is below.

"Bremer said Iraqi revenue will not nearly cover the bill for economic needs "almost impossible to exaggerate."

Bremer: Iraq Effort to Cost Tens of Billions

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
You expected straight answers out of Lott? Seriously, he's probably afraid to answer any questions for, who knows, those "negros" may drag his cracker-ass back on BET to better explain himself.

Off the current topic for a moment, DM. Now that you mention it I haven't seen Lott sponsor any of the legislation he promised while being roasted on BET.

 

[etech]

Off the current topic for a moment while speaking of people that don't keep their word.

"08/25/2003 6:19 PM

There really is no point talking to people here any longer. They're just gonna' believe whatever they want to even in the face of facts.

I have a better idea how to end flaming here. At least the flaming I've been doing as retaliation.

I'm outta' here. Bye."

 

[Tab]

Anyone want to take a wild guess of how much oil in USD is in Iraq?

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: etech
Off the current topic for a moment while speaking of people that don't keep their word.

"08/25/2003 6:19 PM

There really is no point talking to people here any longer. They're just gonna' believe whatever they want to even in the face of facts.

I have a better idea how to end flaming here. At least the flaming I've been doing as retaliation.

I'm outta' here. Bye."

etech

Your post is an example of one of the reasons I couldn't stay away.

Are you saying you're not happy I'm back?

 

[phillyTIM]

Originally posted by: etech
Off the current topic for a moment while speaking of people that don't keep their word.

"08/25/2003 6:19 PM

There really is no point talking to people here any longer. They're just gonna' believe whatever they want to even in the face of facts.

I have a better idea how to end flaming here. At least the flaming I've been doing as retaliation.

I'm outta' here. Bye."

eTech I'm glad you still display just how rude and flame-bait you make yourself out to be.

 

[povertystruck]

I dont know, but what I have read is that there is more oil in Iraq than in Saudi Arabia. Iraq has alot of oil that has not been tapped into yet.

 

[povertystruck]

Poor etech.

 

[phillyTIM]

You can be sure that will change, poverty, when George & Dick get their hands into it!

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: Tabb
Anyone want to take a wild guess of how much oil in USD is in Iraq?

There is certainly enough oil in Iraq to pay for whatever Iraq needs. However it is Iraq's oil.

If you'll read the links above you'll see part of the problem is the oil isn't flowing, it will take years to bring about a profitable oil industry in Iraq, and L. Paul Bremer is saying there is a need for tens of billions of dollars immediately.

Now the oil in Iraq may be as good as money in the bank but the money belongs to the Iraqi people and it's not available for several years.

Are the US taxpayers supposed to pick up the tab in the meantime? Do you think the majority of Americans will mind sending tens of billions of dollars to Iraq while the economy languishes here?

 

[BOBDN]

Adding to the subject Chris Matthews asked Senator Lott if he thought hiring "Saddam's thugs" (Chris Matthews' words, not mine) was a good idea.

Senator Lott said it may not nave been and left it at that.

IMO we all knew the answer before the question was asked.

 

[phillyTIM]

This is a big reason why the Bush Regime WILL be ousted in '04, BOBDN.

I'm mad as hell they are taking care of Iraq while jobs lost as our debt grows bigger than a red, black hole. That's my tax money their loose cannons are using to pay toward Iraq, and I want it to stop.

 

[povertystruck]

Makes you wonder what things would be like if Gore was the president.

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: povertystruck
Makes you wonder what things would be like if Gore was the president.

But Gore isn't president. Bush is (althouth he isn't mine and will never be).

And we don't have to wonder what things are like. We know. And they are all too painfully apparent.

 

[BOBDN]

I started this thread to highlight a few salient economic facts. Facts the Bush administration isn't making public.

We're going to spend more money in Iraq than it would have cost us to fix Social Security, Medicare, pay for a prescription drug program for every American as well as universal health care. More money than we would have spent on our crumbling infrastructure will be spent on Iraq's infrastructure which wasn't crumbling until we bombed it. We could even fund Head Start.

But we invaded Iraq. And we knew beforehand we would be responsible for the costs of fixing what we broke there.

What was the overriding emergency that forced us to invade Iraq at such a cost?

Perhaps instead of attacking our allies we should have heeded their advice.

I edit to add

2004 Deficit to Reach $480 Billion, Report Forecasts

 

[JellyBaby]

eTech I'm glad you still display just how rude and flame-bait you make yourself out to be.

No kidding, it's getting ridiculous.

And we knew beforehand we would be responsible for the costs of fixing what we broke there.

Some elites sure knew. My gut tells me a side-reason for invasion was to feed the military-industrial complex. Key companies are currently raking it in over Iraq reconstruction projects.

Congress seems willing to give Bush whatever he wishes and the country is asleep. The debt will accumulate and the responsibility for dealing with it will be deffered to a future administration and generation of taxpayers. I have noticed politicians love to create problems for their progenitors to "fix". Guess it's business as usual?

 

[Pepsei]

While driving home, the radio reported that so far, the cost of rebuiding Iraq is costing, on the average, about $1000 per tax payer.

I'm still wondering where they (NPR) got that figure. I'd rather have my tax money either refunded to me or pay for other things.

 

[BOBDN]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
While driving home, the radio reported that so far, the cost of rebuiding Iraq is costing, on the average, about $1000 per tax payer.

I'm still wondering where they (NPR) got that figure. I'd rather have my tax money either refunded to me or pay for other things.

I don't know how they arrived at that figure. I do know the amount spent in Iraq so far is around $94 billion ($4 billion/month X 6 months + $70 billion appropriated by congress at Bush's request). Divide that by the estimated 292 million people in the US and you get about $322 per person. I suppose they used 94 million as the number of taxpayers in the US?

In any event it's one hell of a lot of money. And Bremer is saying we need to apporpriate tens of millions more right now. No telling how much it will cost in the end. If there is an end. And again, these figures aren't included in the projected budget deficit of $480 billion for next year.

Bush says we don't have the money to spend at home for our own yet he invades Iraq and spends even more there, unnecessarily IMO.

Someone please explain the rationale here for me.