Should we just loan Iraq the money to rebuild?

[PatriotX]

*Originally posted by shelbo *
**I want some of what he’s smoking.
**

Cock o’ Rove?

[plnnr]

Oh, man! Wha an insight I just had…

Are any of you familiar with the movie “The Mouse That Roared?” In it, the Grand Duchy of Fenwick declares war on the US and invades, knowing that it will be crushed and then be able to receive all sorts of economic aid in order to rebuild.

My insight?

The people of Iraq actually WANTED us to bomb them back to the stone age so they could then receive the largesse of the American government. Cunning bastards.

[godzillatemple]

*Originally posted by msmith537 *
**Give WHO the money? Should we just fly over the country poring money out the back of a C-130? Use your freakin head. **

Try reading my parenthetical statement, to wit: “(or providing the services for free, which amounts to the same thing)”

Even if we don’t hand somebody $60 billion and tell them to rebuild their country, we will still be spending that money to do it for them. Should we do this for free, or should we expect to be repaid?

As has been pointed out, I think the most troubling aspect is simply the fact that we did invade the country. The people might (eventually) be glad that we liberated them from Saddam’s regime, but they didn’t ask us to come.

[msmith537]

*Originally posted by Aldebaran *
h great.

Let’s reshape the world à la US:

1. Invade a sovereign nation, murder thousands of its citizens, destroy everything, create the greatest disorder and havoc one can imagine.

2. Let US companies tied to the US government grab the “rebuilding contracts” and whatever there is to grab.

3. But this is not enough… You come up with the most brilliant solution: LOAN the country you destroyed the money needed to undo what you destroyed and gain the profit your destructions even more open and more direct.

And then you wonder why non US’ers accuse the USA to be the most hypocritical nation one can imagine.

Just great idea people. You are so wonderful. I fall backwards of sheer admiration for your inventive minds.
Salaam. A **

Oh great. Here comes the broken record. Constantly playing it’s I hate the “USers” tune over and over.

:rolleyes:

godzillatemple - Ok. If I understand your question now, basically you are asking whether we should seek to be reimbursed by Iraq once we establish a working government and recoup our financial losses? I don’t believe that’s feasible. It wouldn’t be very good PR for one.

Basically, we can consider the billions we spend in Iraq as an investment in stabalizing that region of the world.

[London_Calling]

Talking of broken records [sub](psst, they have CDs nowadays)[/sub]

*Originally posted by msmith537 *
Basically, we can consider the billions we spend in Iraq as an investment in stabalizing that region of the world.

Basically, not. Where are the WMD - 'member them, those things that apparently initiated this adventure ?

So what yu’re saying seems to be, we forget all that WMD stuff and now work with the idea that Iraq was unstable and now it’s a lot more stable. And the world presumably owes the US big time for being generous enough to take on this noble task.

Hurrah ! Roger, Wilco. Banana tutu.

It gets more Orwellian by the day . . .

[XT]

Another drive by posting by Aldebaran, I see. Thanks for the gems, Aldebaran.

From London Calling

So what yu’re saying seems to be, we forget all that WMD stuff and now work with the idea that Iraq was unstable and now it’s a lot more stable. And the world presumably owes the US big time for being generous enough to take on this noble task.

How you got all that, out of THIS:

From msmith537

Basically, we can consider the billions we spend in Iraq as an investment in stabalizing that region of the world.

I’ll never know. Where were WMD etc brought up? How is this remotely part of this thread?? What are you smoking, and can I get some too??

Whether the region is stable or not in the future we won’t know…until the future, no? It certainly WASN’T stable before, and isn’t now. However, reguardless of whether or not it is, the billions are gone and we won’t get them back. Nor should we, IMO. As has been pointed out (by more reasonable posters) its Americas mess, we pushed for this, and we should and will have to pay for it.

The OP was asking about whether or not the US should ask the Iraqis to pay back the money we are spending on reconstruction or whether we should pay said money for ‘free’. THATS the question under discussion. I think the loan idea is both impractical and would only further alienate America from the world…as well as being morally unjustified. Reguardless of if the invasion of Iraq WAS justified (a debate thats been done over and over on this board) or not, it would STILL be our responsibility to rebuild her out of the wreckage WE caused.

-XT