The Baghdad Billions --BBC report

[whirlygigspin]

Iraq has become a vast financial black hole.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/6126196.stm


"Since the war began in 2003, the Americans have spent around $30 billion of their money - and at least $20 billion of Iraq's own money - in rebuilding the country. But where has it all gone?

In real terms, the U.S. has invested twice as much in Iraq as they did to rebuild Germany after WWII under the Marshall Plan...but have little to show for it..."

[Erika]

1. But W's corporatist buds have never seen higher profits

That's what it's about. In the meantime, our infrastructure is crumbling.

We've also been in Iraq longer than we were in WW II.

[OneBlueSky]

7. Iraq has been an unlimited ATM for corporations close to BushCo . . .

who have received no-bid contracts to do work at vastly inflated prices that was never completed (and in some cases never started) . . .

if the US was sincere about rebuilding Iraq, the contracts would have gone to Iraqi firms, which could have done the work at a fraction of the cost -- and actually completed it . . .

[leftofthedial]

2. where did it go?

is the writer serious?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[barb162]

3. check Chalabi's financials

[barb162]

4. The Germans didn't blow up everything 2 days after it was fixed

[CJCRANE]

5. The Allies also didn't dismantle the entire

German army and police force AFAIK.

[Robeson]

6. Bingo...

...good point.

[barb162]

9. There was next to no army left to dismantle

[CJCRANE]

10. AFAIK German military police were used

by the allies in the post-war period. However, I'm not an expert so any input from a DUer with the relevant links/experience appreciated.

Another difference between Germany and Iraq is that Germany were the aggressors and had been waging war against pretty much the rest of the world for several years. By the time the Allies reached the pummelled rubble of Berlin the Germans knew they were beat.

On the other hand, Iraqis had just been getting on with their lives as normal when "shock and awe" happened. The initial invasion phase was also relatively short not like the years of fighting that the Germans had endured so I don't think much of an analogy can be made between Iraqis and Germans in this case.

[barb162]

11. the analogy between Germany and Iraq is a poor one

There were tens of thousands of American army personnel in Germany after the war.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. We should have just give every Iraqi adult a million dollars each

then they would be too busy building new houses to bother with killing each other.

[Auntie Bush]

13. Now that's a novel thought! Why didn't bush* think of that?

Never mind...he started the war to make his buddies rich and we couldn't do anything that would deprived them of one red cent....becides they are just Iraqis...they don't matter or count.

[kineneb]

12. infinite loop

just add money:

1: KBR/Haliburton build bridge

2. locals blow up bridge

3. go to #1

...write in programming language of your choice...