US Mulls Annual Cash Payout for All Iraqis

[Nambe]

NEW YORK (Reuters)

The United States is considering paying all Iraqis an annual dividend from a trust fund established with the country's oil revenues, U.S. administrator Paul Bremer said on Sunday.

In an article in the New York Times marking the first meeting of Iraq's governing council in Baghdad, Bremer said the United States planned economic reforms for Iraq that entailed "a major shift of capital from the value-destroying state sector to private firms."

"We are also creating a social safety net for any resulting disruptions," he said, adding that every Iraqi should benefit from the country's oil wealth.

"One possibility would be to pay social benefits from a trust financed by oil revenues," he said. "Another could be to pay an annual cash dividend directly to each citizen from that trust." ---

Banish bush From Texas Too

[Cha]

1. So now they are going to buy them off with their own ...

OIL?

[saigon68]

4. Just like the BIA and the Indian Tribes

Oh ya this is a tried and true process---- NOT ---

1. talk about the GRAFT---
2. THE CORRUPTION---
3. The INCOMPETENCE---

this should work just great

</SARCASM>

[indictrichardperle]

2. Thats where our payroll tax cut went

the lower and middle class, can just give their tax-cut for this...

The first 30 billion of Iraqi oil revenue is already going to Halliburton and Bechtel. Nice try Bremer.

[Beetwasher]

3. Hahah! There all gonna get a child tax credit and $300 rebate!

Except of course for all the one's that don't.

[bemildred]

5. Oh my God, that sounds like "Welfare".

They must be getting desperate.

[billbuckhead]

7. When do we get our own "mineral rights" money?

Du'h, damn, I forgot, I'm a white guy in America.

[bemildred]

8. Alaskans got some of that.

Another case of political desperation.

[oneighty]

11. Yeah!

What is good for Iraq and Alaska ought

to be good for all USofA.

Mineral rights for all!

180

[nuxvomica]

6. Looks like the Iraqis get to establish their own government....

As long as it has no nationalized industries. How can they say they want the Iraqis to control their own country if they aren't going to allow them to implement democratic socialism? Haven't these sorts of policies failed in Argentina?
I can't wait to see their new constitution. Won't be anything like ours. That would be too dangerous.

[zekeson]

9. Souns like "social experimentation"

to me. Dang, and I thought conservatives were agin' that? Guess only when it isn't money that Halliburton gets its grubby hands on first. WHen they have used and abused it, then, freshly laundered it can be doled out to the people who actually own the mineral rights... minus 85% handling charges.

:think:

[indictrichardperle]

10. right, cut out the middle man.....

How about if Iraq forms its own iterim govt, has open bids for the lowest cost for reconstruction.....and keeps all of its oil revenue to pay out much bigger dividends ?

99% goes to the occupiers.....sounds fair doesnt it ? :eyes:

[bluestateguy]

12. This from the same people who oppose a $300 tax credit for working people

Figures.