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| Iraq |
| Bush ponders £10bn New Deal to create jobs in Iraq |
| 2006-12-24 |
| The White House is expected to announce a reconstruction package for Iraq as part of a plan for a “surge” of up to 30,000 troops into Baghdad when President George W Bush unveils America’s new strategy next month. Bush is being urged to give up to $10 billion (£5.1 billion) to Iraq as part of a “New Deal” that would create work for unemployed Iraqis, following the model of President Franklin D Roosevelt during the 1930s depression. At the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff are insisting on reconstruction funds as part of a package of political and economic measures to accompany the armed forces. They fear the extra troops will be wasted and more lives lost if Bush relies purely on the military to pacify Iraq, according to sources close to General Peter Schoomaker, the army chief of staff. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #7 Oh, I forgot, the underfunded whinos in San Fran Why, George Marshall will be turning in his grave. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-12-24 18:33 |
| #6 I expect the Democrats to whine and holler about all the "poor" people in the United States who need reparations, the sad Katrina peeps, the welfare folks, the abortion clinics, etc. etc. etc. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-12-24 18:31 |
| #5 and until they do kickstart it keep the clock running on the interest on this 10B and some of the other money spent so far. |
| Posted by: jds 2006-12-24 14:31 |
| #4 Loan them the bucks against future oil sales. They have the income. We've no need to be spending this kind of wealth on these ingrates. We've done enough already. Anyone who thinks otherwise is out of their mind. I'm tired or trying to "reconstruct" a cesspool. The Iraqis will kickstart their own economy when they're finally serious about ending the internecine slaughter and getting on with business. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-12-24 14:17 |
| #3 Except what would have been the cost, anonymoose, for newly created businesses having been targeted for 5 years+? We build then reconstruct how many times for the Iraqis? And how will you ask US taxpayers to fund dozens of buildings be rebuilt when they can be taken down again by populace-supported armed militas? |
| Posted by: Jules 2006-12-24 13:58 |
| #2 This is a superb idea from a military point of view, and something we should have done right at the onset of the occupation. The same with Afghanistan. The core focus should be on creating small businesses, since they are the largest employers in modern economies. Employed people not only don't want to be troublemakers, they don't want troublemakers around them. They quickly become supporters of the status quo no matter what the status quo is. It has long been recognized by organized crime syndicates, street gangs, and revolutionary organizations that economic prosperity and business are by far their worst enemies. They seek to fight and undermine them at all costs. If properly organized, "ground-level" minimum wage employment is first selected on how it will make *new* jobs. For example, hiring lots of men to clear fields of rock and build rock fences, dig canals, and make other unskilled preparations, prior to converting the land into farmland. Once they are done, they move on, and other people are employed in running the new farm. For about $1Bn, the US could have several hundred thousand Afghans working, earning money, and supporting their families. This seed money would in just a few years, end up with Afghanistan producing several billion dollars of GDP--exactly what they need to support themselves and their national defenses. The acid test of this program will be how the money is directed. If it is used to create big business in Iraq, it will be thrown down a rat hole. If small business, it will strongly work. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-12-24 13:32 |
| #1 Let these MF'ers get to work and get oil onto the market. American taxpayers should not be funding any f**king thing in that hellhole. They should have monthly income on par with the Saoodis. If they had any sense at all. They don't. |
| Posted by: SpecOp35 2006-12-24 12:34 |