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August 27, 2003
Iraq: Bremer - Tens of Billions... & Friedman opens an eye
The WP article:
Bremer: Iraq Effort to Cost Tens of Billions
By Peter Slevin and Vernon Loeb
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, August 27, 2003; Page A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50396-2003Aug26.html
Confirmation of mine and other analyses in re the costs and the naive optimism.
Quoting:
"Iraq will need "several tens of billions" of dollars from abroad in the next year to rebuild its rickety infrastructure and revive its moribund economy, and American taxpayers and foreign governments will be asked to contribute substantial sums, U.S. occupation coordinator L. Paul Bremer said yesterday.
Bremer said Iraqi revenue will not nearly cover the bill for economic needs "almost impossible to exaggerate." Just to meet current electrical demand will cost $2 billion, Bremer said, while a national system to deliver clean water will cost an estimated $16 billion over four years."
Further note the following:
"The figures, which must be added to the $4 billion the Pentagon spends each month on military operations in Iraq, offer the latest evidence that the price of the Iraqi occupation is growing substantially. A State Department official said the Bush administration is preparing to seek a "huge" supplemental spending bill from Congress. Administration sources also said the U.S.-controlled Coalition Provisional Authority is running so low on funds that the White House is considering seeking an emergency infusion next month to cover the organization's bills."
This may explain why they are not aggressively pursuing programs. Running out of money.
What a wonderful fucking program for reconstruction.
By the way, BRemer asks:
"What exactly is it that happens on the ground that makes things better if the U.N. is in charge of reconstruction?" Bremer said. "How does the situation on the ground get better?"
Well, if he would take a close look at the people he has, fucking soldiers with minimal experience running banking operations and the like, what gets better is that the UN has a depth of expertise in people used to working on (a) non American systems (b) in foreign langauges (c) in foreign cultures (d) in reconstruction efforts in an international context.
As such you might get something better than the CPA-I fuck (actually not a bad fellow, I spoke with him later, but over his head) who got up before a bunch of Arab and international financial specialists of various kinds (and me), introduced the "Liberation of Iraq" (thanks mate, but you're not talking to Americans, change your fucking language) and went on to talk about getting the Iraqi securities business to adopt the NASDAQ system and the NASD code - just translate it. Fucking amazing.
I also liked the continued assertion that all is fine, Iraq and Baghdad are not in chaos. Well, that's fucking fine, but you speak to Iraqis and they, who are not surrounded by specialized guards and living a nice compound, think it is in chaos. Paul, wake up and smell the coffee.
[edited 11:20 to add Friedman]
Starting From Scratch
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/27/opinion/27FRIE.html
I note Friedman, despite his little idiot-boy cheerleader role also makes a sidewise argument for more resources. Anyone who's not a moron or a liar or a politician sees it's necessary
Posted by The Lounsbury at August 27, 2003 10:43 AM
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Jan-Dec 2003
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