$18,000,000,000 spent - less than 25,000 Iraqi jobs

[burythehatchet]

Can anyone take a crack at explaining this strange economic phenomenon where 18B is poured into an economy and less than 25K of the citizens of Iraq have jobs as a result.

I'm pretty sure that given a choice, a man facing a choice between rioting in the street or having a job to go to, may choose the latter.

(The stat was heard on NPR's Morning Edition today)

[salin]

1. long ago it was reported that many of the (us based) contractors

refused to pay iraqi wages and imported foreign laborers who would work for even *less* money. Meanwhile no compete contracts of Halliburton that allow for recompensation + % of total expendinture encourages NOT looking for the best deal on goods ... so money is flying out the window in that direction. But those contractors need to make bigger profits... what is best for US policy (employing Iraqis) is not important to them - just bigger profits.

I must say, however, that 25,000 seems extraordinarily low. Would need to see that confirmed somewhere. Seems to me just in hiring Iraqi police would account for most if not all of 25,000 positions.

[whistle]

2. Sure, out of $18billion spent.....

Halliburton got............... $17,500,000,000.00

Corrupt Iraq politicans....... $450,000,000.00

25,000 Iraqi workers.......... $ 50,000,000.00 ($2,000.00 each)