What to do with 145.2 billion dollars (budget of war on Iraq)

[abdo375]

http://blog.thebudgetgraph.com/?p=28" [Broken]
God, I hate bush.

 

[whatta]

God hates people who hate people.

 

[Kurdt]

No I don't. I'm an all loving being and certainly make exceptions in the case of Bush.

I think since the US and others have destroyed much of Iraq's infrastructure and de-stabalised the region, then the least we can do is to try and repair some of the damage.

 

[whatta]

I think since the US and others have destroyed much of Iraq's infrastructure and de-stabalised the region, then the least we can do is to try and repair some of the damage.

I think getting an opportunity to repair some of the damage was kind of idea behind destroying much of infrastructure?

 

[Kurdt]

What damage? It was subsequently found that there was no threat.

 

[whatta]

so I was saying, there were many billions waiting to be grabbed by someone. but since government does not pay for nothing, you should come up with smart ideas as to what would these money be payed for; so, they were sitting once in some bar, thinking, and then that Joe comes up with that idea, "say folks how about bombing the crap out of some country so that government would pay us to rebuild it afterwards?" - "oh yeah, you're talking sht! say, do we have some ongoing war somewhere?" - "Iraq" - "oh yeah, Iraq. I like Iraq. when do we start?" - "how about now? I am calling mr. president" and that's how it was. really.

edit: there's nothing to be surprised about, it happens all over the world at every scale. I was working in a bank once, where they were repairing main entrance. several times. with about 3 days intervals between repair works.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

For 145 Billion a year, we could give every Iraqi citizen ~ $5400. That would be ten times the current average yearly income, and nearly double the best pre-war average.

Now that's how you win hearts and minds.

 

[Anttech]

For 145 Billion a year, we could give every Iraqi citizen ~ $5400. That would be ten times the current average yearly income, and nearly double the best pre-war average.

Now that's how you win hearts and minds.

Unless of course u create massive inflation and ruin the economy even more the only way to win hearts and minds in iraq currently is to "leave and stop interfering" but we know that will make even more problems soooooo perhaps a bit of je ne sais quoi, or anybody else for that matter, might help

 

[Astronuc]

Perhaps some of that many will go where other money went.

A slight digression.

Audit: U.S. lost track of $9 billion in Iraq funds
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/30/iraq.audit/
Pentagon, Bremer dispute inspector general's report

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly $9 billion of money spent on Iraqi reconstruction is unaccounted for because of inefficiencies and bad management, according to a watchdog report published Sunday.

An inspector general's report said the U.S.-led administration that ran Iraq until June 2004 is unable to account for the funds.

"Severe inefficiencies and poor management" by the Coalition Provisional Authority has left auditors with no guarantee the money was properly used," the report said.

"The CPA did not establish or implement sufficient managerial, financial and contractual controls to ensure that [Development Fund for Iraq] funds were used in a transparent manner," said Stuart W. Bowen Jr., director of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.

The $8.8 billion was reported to have been spent on salaries, operating and capital expenditures, and reconstruction projects between October 2003 and June 2004, Bowen's report concluded.

Nothing much was done, but a lot of people made a lot of money for doing it.

Iraq is becoming 'free fraud' zone
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0407/dailyUpdate.html [Broken]

The Spoils of War
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/iraq/index.html [Broken]

U.S. Indicts Five in Iraq Fraud
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070207/7indictments.htm

Republicans Try To Outflank Waxman On Iraq Probe
By Chitra Ragavan
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/08/usnews/whispers/main2452126.shtml


Judge Clears Contractor of Fraud in Iraq
Custer Battles Handled Baghdad Airport Security
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020801871.html

I have to wonder how much money is being diverted into private accounts off-shore.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Unless of course u create massive inflation and ruin the economy even more the only way to win hearts and minds in iraq currently is to "leave and stop interfering" but we know that will make even more problems soooooo perhaps a bit of je ne sais quoi, or anybody else for that matter, might help

So your point is that jobs and inflation are worse than five years of war?

 

[fourier jr]

For 145 Billion a year, we could give every Iraqi citizen ~ $5400. That would be ten times the current average yearly income, and nearly double the best pre-war average.

Now that's how you win hearts and minds.

...or $8287.6712/hr since jesus christ was born that's probably enough to cover the health & education costs of every american for a few years anyway...

 

[Andy]

If i had 145 billion dollars i would buy a country.

 

[Quaoar]

145 billion dollars a year could easily colonize Mars.

 

[Thrice]

*shrug* you reap what you sow. You guys voted for him, you & your countrymen. I figure Clinton left too much money & you didn't know what to do with it.

 

[Quaoar]

*shrug* you reap what you sow. You guys voted for him, you & your countrymen. I figure Clinton left too much money & you didn't know what to do with it.

And I hold every last moron who did vote for him in contempt. :grumpy:

 

[Anttech]

So your point is that jobs and inflation are worse than five years of war?

nope my point is you shouldnt pour petrol on a fire you want to extinguish

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

nope my point is you should pour petrol on a fire you want to extinguish

Do you not see though? The best way to deal with terrorism is to create more bloodshed and anger, in fact to kill and go on killing until no one is left? Have you learned nothing? The only way to stop terrorism is to exacerbate it; you are young but you will learn; always bomb the crap out of the enemy, it's fundamental neocon/peacemaking tactics?

They don't fight fair, they don't come out and fight mano et mano with there pointed sticks, therefore they should be hunted down in their holes and murdered like vermin, because this is the only way to stop a rat problem, not with poison but with high explosives. Regardless of the cost to civilians - the end justifies the means - if we get forty of theirs and 280 civilians have to die: so be it: the ends justify the means.

You will not win against terror by working to ease anger and injustice, by puting aside your hate, by resorting to reason not fear, by considering your enemy is man much like you, by sitting down and coming to a compromise, by putting forth your hand in mutual co-operation, by conceding your mistakes these are the methods of fools and cowards; show me where that works or has ever worked: no! Hate is the reason for my self righteousness, and it's all their fault not mine?

Buy an enormous Island in the Caribbean preferably, or off West Africa and move the Jews there out of harms way, then let the Arabs move their holy sites one by one and then the Jews then leave the "holy land" empty and let it return to desert.

 

[petermorrisjr]

Bury it in the back yard and dig it up when its worth has depreciated to the value of a penny