$18 Billion "Marshall Plan" sputters to close with Iraq "still a shambles"

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: 'Marshall Plan' for Iraq Fades
Once the $18.6 billion for reconstruction is spent, the nation might have to rely on private investment. 'No pain, no gain,' a U.S. official says.

By Doug Smith and Borzou Daragahi, Times Staff Writers


BAGHDAD — After more than 2 1/2 years of sputtering reconstruction work, the United States' "Marshall Plan" to rebuild this war-torn country is drawing to a close this year with much of its promise unmet and no plans to extend its funding.

The $18.6 billion approved by Congress in 2003 will be spent by the end of this year, officials here say. Foreign governments have given only a fraction of the billions they pledged two years ago.

With the country still a shambles, U.S. officials are promoting a tough-love vision of reconstruction that puts the burden on the Iraqi people.

"The world is a competitive place," Tom Delare, economics counselor at the U.S. Embassy, said this month during a news briefing. "You have to convince the investor that it is worth his while to put his money in your community."...An embassy spokeswoman later said that the Bush administration was not abandoning the Iraqi reconstruction effort. But embassy and reconstruction officials outlined a program of private investment and fiscal belt-tightening by the new Iraqi government as the long-term solution to the country's woes, even if that causes short-term suffering for Iraq's people.

"No pain, no gain," Andy Wylegala, whose job at the embassy is to help Americans do business in Iraq, said at the same briefing. "It's a very difficult procedure to pass through. But when I look from my side, I see it as a long-term, very favorable development."...


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-aid15jan15,0,6541328,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[w13rd0]

1. Ah, Private Investment....

...in other words, after we bomb the shit out of the country, and then stall any rebuilding by basically throwing money at multinationals that import cheap labor to charge outrageous prices to NOT do what they are supposed to do...after all that, we then bail and tell them, "You want more, sell your fucking souls, or at the very least, your oil, at prices that will turn your nation into a servile-state to the mutlinationals"...

Wow, that's the "Marshall Plan"? That f'n sucks.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. An outrage! For the people of both Iraq and the U.S. nt

[leftchick]

9. I saw an article blaming the plummet in Oil Production on Saddam

and him letting the infrastructure crumble. That may be partially true, but bombing the shit out of Iraq and only letting KBR/Halliburton/US companies rebuild makes the whole pipeline system a target.

[FloridaPat]

10. It took the Iraqis 6 months to rebuild their country after Gulf War 1.

Three years later, Halliburton and Brechtel haven't been able to do the same thing. Way to go *!

[dogman]

2. The Halliburton Plan is a success.

That is all that matters.

[CrispyQ]

4. Shameful.

"With the country still a shambles, U.S. officials are promoting a tough-love vision of reconstruction that puts the burden on the Iraqi people."

Like they don't have enough problems. What ever happened to the 'you break it, you fix it' philosophy.

[Solly Mack]

5. We invade them for a lie, murder their people, blow up their cities

and then blame them for the ah...lack of progress and call it "touch love."

Damn but America's despicable.

[Karenina]

12. There was never any intent to "rebuild"

as that cannot occur while bombs are still going off. The American intent in Iraq is to DESTROY EVERYTHING. And THAT is proceeding according to PNAC plan.

[luvRPgrl]

14. and how

exactly do you know there was never any intention to rebuild anything, and that the Bush admin. wants to destroy everything?

Seems to me alot of rebuilding has been going on, but with so much terrorist activity, it slows things down a lot. The high volume of terrorist activity is because instead of standing up and fighting when we went after Saddam, his guys just took cover. Its why we took over so easily. But now their strategy is to disrupt and prevent the Democratic process. We should be supporting the Democratic process over there.

Even if you hate Bush, you should still support anything that spreads democracy anywhere in the world. Does you hate run so deep as to give up that basic core value?

[Karenina]

15. What flavor koolaid was that again?

Just wondering... :shrug:

[hang a left]

6. I read this article in LBN a few minutes ago.

Outrageous. I feel sick to my stomach.

[peekaloo]

7. hearts and minds

we have neither.

[grytpype]

8. We destroyed their country & it's their fault if they don't rebuild it.

Typical Bushist logic.

[Lisa]

11. and the Marshall Plan applied to more than just one country...

http://www.fpri.org/ww/0103.199801.sicherman.lessonsfromthemarshallplan.html

This article says the equivalent of $80 billion, over 4 years. And that was for a whole bunch of countries.


I would not be surprised if the US eventually ends up spending more on invading, occupying, and "reconstructing" Iraq than it spent on WWII!

Makes me wonder what would have happened if this lot had been in charge back then. They probably would have ended up keeping most of the war money for themselves -- Europe wouldn't even have been liberated, much less rebuilt. And instead of beating the Nazis and putting them on trial, they might have signed a treaty with them!

[Disturbed]

13. $9 Billion still missing?

"The terrorists want to control the oil. Our way of life will be at risk". George W. Bush (Nov. 2005)



Bush Regime Iraq Successes (Phase 1)

1. Saddam will no longer sell Iraqi oil via the Euro.

2, A military foothold in the ME. Other than Saudi Arabia.

3, No countries will be able to buy Iraqi oil that the U.S. disapproves of.

4. The Multi-Intl. Oil Corps are reaping great profits.

5.The Military Industrial Complex is a booming Industry.


Phase 2?