I am for giving to Iraq the money to rebuild, and not requesting it be paid back as a loan. There are three reasons for it.
1) It is the right thing to do. We pushed for the embargo that ruined much of Iraq's infrastructure, than, in order to defend our country, we bombed the rest of it. To demand that they pay for the damage we did to their country would be wrong.
Sure, in a perfect world, Hussein would pay for the damages, or the Ba'ath party. Guess what? They are. Every dollar our troops have found hidden in Ba'ath'st bunkers is going to the Iraqi people and its rebuilding. There just isn't enough of it.
Sure, if we find Hussein later, we take the money we give to Iraq out of his hide. However, until we do, since we choose to go into this war, we pay.
No Iraqi chose for us to bomb, and few supported Hussein into provoking us into it. To make them pay, who have already paid so much, is just mean.
2) They won't pay. If we loan them billions of dollars now, and say Pay Us with Oil over the next ten years, they will most likely refuse. Imagine if you were driving down the street and some idiot drives down the road at 90 miles an hour. He's a murderer and a lunatic and the police are after him. During the chase, one of the police cars accidently runs into your car.
Your car is damaged baddly and you were almost killed.
A man from the city quickly shows up and says, "we'll take care of it. Don't worry." He calls the city authorized towing service, run by an associate of the mayors. Your car is towed to a mechanic who's sister is an alderman. Body work is done by a city authorized body shop who donates heavilly to the campaigns of the Mayor. It takes a while for your car to be repaired, longer than if you would have gone to a better mechanic, or a better body shop, but you don't complain. The guy from the city is claiming, "I'll take care of it." Until your car is ready he gives you a loaner car from Crazy Al's Used Cars. Its smaller than yours and doesn't run as good and smells strange, but Crazy Al, who is a business partner of the Assistant Mayor, says that is your only option.
A few weeks later the man from the city shows up with your new car. Happilly he gives you the keys and you return the used car.
Then he hands you the bills.
Would you pay?
And if you don't, what will they do? Repossess your car? What will we do to Iraq? If they don't pay will the next President be forced to reposess the country?
3) It will make the US look greedy and manipulative to the rest of the world. They will say, see--all the US wanted was Iraqi oil. The blow up a bridge, rebuild it, and demand payment in Iraqi oil. They don't need to control the Oil Fields, that is too much work. They just destroy a country and then get over paid to rebuild it.
This is what people from around the world will say. Big deal? What do you care what people outside this country think of us?
It is a big deal if you are trying to sell American Goods or American Services to the rest of the world. If you are in a plant that is producing things that other countries can find and buy elsewhere.
It is a big deal if you are worried about terrorists. Its stories like the one above that allows terror groups to get support and recruits from around the world. An article on NPR yesterday says that one in five Germans believe the US Government blew up the World Trade Center to get support for its war on terror and to get Iraqi oil.
It is a big deal if you want other countries to support our troops and our work in rebuilding Iraq. Why should Poland or India or Germany give money to those in need when the US will just use it to make money for their companies?
Finally, I am angered at the Democrats in Congress who are pushing for this "Loan" plan just to attack President Bush. I am no fan of the President. However, I must agree that making this a Grant is the right thing to do.
I am just stunned that the "Spend and Tax" Democrats are united behind this cheapskate manuever while the "Fiscally CHEAP" conservative Republican's want to give away the money. This manuever hurts the Democratic ideals and must stop.
Their only excuse has been the administrations chronic lack of information or explanation. They have not made a case for why a Grant and not a Loan. They have just replied, "because we say so."
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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