What do we do for the Iraqis?

[Onlooker]

We took out a ruthless dictator and replaced him with anarchy, fundamentalist nuts, and a state of war that is killing people at a faster rate than Saddam could have dreamed of. The middle class and wealthy have been able to defend themselves to some degree by fleeing the country or living in highly fortified areas. The poor and those outside the cities are far more vulnerable. The vast majority of these people are innocent, and until Bush I set in motion the events that led to the destruction of Iraq, they lived mostly decent lives, in a nation that gave women opportunity, provided a good quality of education, and offered decent health care, as long as you weren't a political enemy. Now, their lives are probably in ruins, and the United States and Britain are largely responsible.

I think we agree that we need to extricate ourselves from Iraq in the hope that in changes the dynamics and allows for the warring parties to find a solution. But, beyond that, we have other responsibilities there. We need to help them rebuild. We need to support UN and other agencies that can move in with the type of supplies necessary to protect children and help Iraq get on its feet. We've already spent $400 billion "helping" the Iraqis, but are we prepared to spend more? I think we have moral responsibility to do so. We destroyed it. We have to help it rebuild once we get the hell out.

[happydreams]

1. Who is this "we" you are talking about?

Bush stole the 2000 election, decieved the public and the Congress about the need for a precedent setting (new low) pre-emptive war; sat back and raked in the dough from the war then went on to new lows in gutter politics to keep up a propoganda blitz about how great everything is.

Are "we" responsible for a fascist dictatorship? I don't think so. Like Germany after WWII we need to have a Nuremberg trial to determine "our" responsibility.

[NanceGreggs]

2. I agree that the Iraqis are deserving of reconstruction ...

... so here's a viable (and just) plan to raise the necessary funds:

Confiscate and liquidate the assets of Halliburton, KBR, and the rest of the war profiteers and put it into a rebuilding fund

Demand repayment of all shareholding profits realized on stock in war-profiteering companies. Individuals can claim the loss on their income taxes.

Confiscate and liquidate ALL assets of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and the rest of the PNAC crowd, and add those monies to the fund (this includes investment assets, homes, jewelry, ALL personal possessions)

Gather up the aforementioned individuals, along with their cheerleaders (O'Reilly, Rush, Coulter, etc.) and send them to Iraq to do the physical labour on rebuilding hospitals, schools, etc.

Sounds perfectly FAIR to me ...

[Onlooker]

3. That's excellent

Send the proposal to Speaker Pelosi!