U.S. Bars Iraq Contracts for Nations That Opposed War

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/09/international/middleeast/09CND-DIPL.html?hp

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 — The Pentagon has barred French, German and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, saying the step "is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States."

The directive, which was issued by the deputy defense secretary, Paul D. Wolfowitz, represents perhaps the most substantive retaliation to date by the Bush administration against American allies who opposed its decision to go to war in Iraq.

[louis-t]

1. disgusting

assholes.

[David Zephyr]

2. Like It's Wolfowitz's Money to Decide.

What a sorry group of crooks we have running our government.

[MO_Dem]

5. It probably WILL be his

and Cheney's and Duh-bya's, et al, now!

[Mikimouse]

3. Considering the amount of power contained in those three nations,

and the American Military bases in Germany, I think that we are about to see a major economic/trade war with the EU and Russia. Like most petulant children, we have stepped over the line, and will reap the rewards for having done so.

[frylock]

4. boy.. cameroon should make out like a bandit!

[cthrumatrix]

6. last time I looked ...they have a bigger stick...it's called selling the $

didn't you shrub all over China's representative today... I guess we know who controls who....can't afford that country to go in the trade or currency war heap.

[moondust]

7. What do the Iraqis want?

Woud they rather be isolationist and have the Bushbuddies running everything in their country (into the ground) or would they prefer to join the community of nations by making friends with countries like France, Germany, and Russia and doing business with them?

Hehe, always looking out for the best interests of the Iraqis. Hehe.

[aquart]

8. These are adults?

12 year olds behave like this.

What small-minded short-sighted pettiness.

[Old and In the Way]

9. At least these guys are consistant.

You either go along with us or we'll shut you out of the $. I'm sure every Democratic Rep and Senator can relate to the way we are treating our former allies.

Boy, is payback gonna be a bitch.

[Kolesar]

10. Globe and Mail Story

Canada barred from Iraq contracts

Associated Press
Washington — The Pentagon has formally barred companies from countries opposed to the Iraq war from bidding on $18.6-billion (U.S.) worth of reconstruction contracts.

A directive from Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz limits bidders on those 26 contracts to firms from the United States, Iraq, their coalition partners and other countries which have sent troops to Iraq.

The ruling bars companies from U.S. allies such as France, Germany and Canada from bidding on the contracts because their governments opposed the American-led war that ousted Saddam Hussein's regime.

The Wolfowitz memo, dated Friday and posted on a Pentagon web site Tuesday, says restricting contract bids "is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States."

G & M article

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. "for the protection of the . . . security interests of the United States"

. . for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States

. . Am I reading this correctly ? ? ?

. . Canada is considered a THREAT to the Security of tye Almighty U S of A ??

Feckadee - it's the USA that is a threat to the WORLD !!!

and if I had MY way

- I'd close the friggen border - TIGHT

- and we'd keep our oil, gas, hydro, water and food for ourselves!!

so what if some of us have to go back to be farmers - wasn't a bad life anyhoo !

we could live quite well without the Murikkan "toys"

I think I want to move further North

- I'm only 400 kliks from the USA border

- TOO FRIGGEN CLOSE with that gang y'all got in ur WH

- hafta make sure I don't "park" my butt in a Province that has O_I_L !!

[NashVegas]

11. BWA-HA-Ha - Josh Marshall

Check out Talking Points Memo on this

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2003_12_07.html#002300

Department of intra-administration coordination, subdivision of one hand knowing what the other's doing ...

As we noted yesterday, Bush family fixer James A. Baker has been given the task of cajoling states that are owed money by Iraq into either forgiving or generously restructuring Iraq's debts.

Near the top of that list of state creditors are France, Germany and Russia.

[RedEarth]

15. LOL....Sounds like Baker's job will be a piece of cake

after this directive by Wolfowitz. LOL....this admin is so adept at diplomacy. What a joke.

[Melsky]

12. Why don't we just give the contracts to the Iraqis?

I mean, assuming this war was about something besides wealth transfer from taxpayers to huge wealthy corporations.

[burrowowl]

14. I imagine that when

the Irakis kick the U$ out, that the U$ won't get any contracts from them.
And all our taxpayer money will still be going to Halliburton et al because they will have 'lost' money in the Iraki venture (our money of course).

[Robin Hood]

16. That's the way to bring in the UN...NOT!!!!

Just another big fuck you to our miserable and dying troops in Iraq. hey Boys?!! You like your extended duty in the shooting gallery? Good cause there's more where that came from. You can thank Jr. for it.

Feel free to write him and his minions at FAUX news and tell him how much his foreign policy has fulfilled your life. yee-Haww.

[Guaranteed]

17. Is this supposed to be the best thing for the Iraqi people?

IS IT, ROVE?