Donations to Rebuild Iraq May Fall Short of U.S. Target

[Snellius]

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- Nudged by the United States, donors came through Friday with pledges big and small for Iraq but were falling short of the estimated $56 billion needed to rebuild the country.

While the pledges were greater than expected, many were in the form of loans or debt relief for a nation already burdened with an estimated $120 billion in debt run up during Saddam Hussein's rule.
...
Midway through the conference, countries and international lenders had pledged about $19 billion in grants and loans, on top of the $20 billion promised by Washington. While pledges were still being made, the conference seemed sure to fall short of the $56 billion the World Bank estimates Iraq needs in the next four years.
...
Saudi Arabia pledged $1 billion, but the richest country in the Arab world said half would be in loans through 2007 and the rest would be in export credits. However, it gave the first hint that progress might be made on a U.S. push to relieve some of Iraq's debt.
...
Iran, which fought Iraq from 1980-88 in a war that claimed 1 million lives, said it would let Iraq export oil through Iranian ports and supply its neighbor with electricity and gas.
...
After the $20 billion package now before the U.S. Congress, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi offered the biggest pledge: $1.5 billion in grants for 2004 and $3.5 billion in loans for 2005-2007.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Iraq-Conference.html?hp

The rightwing media is characterizing this as "Money Flowing into Iraq" or "A Big Success for Bush" but the closer you get into the details of these contributions the more symbolic they look.

[Loonman]

1. Maybe Dubya should call Jerry Lewis for some tips

n/t

[MUAD_DIB]

8. * knows how to handle this faux pas.

TAX CUT!

[Spazito]

2. I love the use of the word "may" when the fact is they HAVE fallen far..

short of what the US wanted.

[papau]

3. US wanted 56B, it got 23B, plus new loans/credits of 17B through 2007

and of the 23 B, 20 is the US contribution.

But our media will spin it!

meanwhile the World Bank says they can only absorb 6B next year.

Now Bush will spend all 20 B next year - so who gets the 14B rip off - and what part is the Bush family payoff, the GOP payoff, the media owners like GE payoff?

I do not expect a lot of media PR on the theft - as they have joined hands with the thieves.

[Flaming Meaux]

4. They'll use it as another hit on Germany and France.

"We're fixing Iraq, no thanks to those lousy French and Germans," they'll say.

In all, the European Union is giving $812 million next year, said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, whose country holds the EU presidency.

That's less than the $931 million the 15-nation bloc offered to Afghanistan last year, reflecting the absence of France and Germany. Those two leading opponents of the U.S.-led war are holding back to register their disapproval of the U.S. blueprint for restoring Iraqi sovereignty.

[David__77]

6. I don't think they'll say "we fixed Iraq."

First, they'll have to fix it. That won't happen anytime soon. Of course, the clinically insane will continue to lie.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi Flaming Meaux!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[David__77]

5. I, president of Micronesia, will give $2,500, in exchange for...

some "aid" so I can build a presidential palace!

[moondust]

7. Georgie should have a donors conference in Dallas.

Invite all his "Go-It-Alone" buddies. Invite his beloved Pioneers. See who's patriotic and who's not.

[Don_G]

9. Of Course

The US Coalition-led CPA "lost" over 1 Billion so far in Iraqi assets. Why should the other countries "contribute" to the bottom line of Halliburton when there is no clear idea of where the money went to or where it will go?

Is it possible that the crooked CEO's and failed Wall Street traders migrated to private industry and government service? I'm sure the rest of the world thinks so.

[gratuitous]

11. Call George's Halloween Iraq-a-thon

C'mon people, we can't do this alone, but if we all band together, we can accomplish some great things in Iraq! I have a pledge here from The Congo for $25! Now, that's not much in and of itself, but if a few other countries do the same thing, we'll bundle those donations and really get something done.

What's that? A challenge pledge! That's the spirit! Mauritania is pledging five dollars and challenging every other country in Africa with an AIDS infection rate over 35% to do the same! Wow!

And even if you can't give money, there are other things you can give. I know that impoverished countries say they don't have any money to spare, but perhaps you could offer to be a staging area for the next phase of U.S. imperialism? Maybe you have an airfield that isn't being heavily used right now. You can really contribute if you're within a couple hours' flight time of Iran, Syria or North Korea? Be creative!

Phone lines are open now. C'mon, despots and dictators alike, you can all join in!

Some folks ask about our administrative costs, and you'll hear from some hand-wringing liberals that it's just too expensive to rebuild Iraq. Well, the numbers are classified, of course, but take the Bush administration's word for it that there couldn't be a leaner, cleaner operation than the one they're running in Iraq. We'd love to show you the actual numbers, but maybe Dick Cheney and Richard Perle, performing as Dickie and Dickie, can demonstrate for you with this fabulously entertaining bit of theirs. Let's give them a big hand!

<Cheney and Perle come out with an enormous barrel of water marked "Funds for Iraq." Silently, they hook up an enormous hose to the barrel and put the other end into an incredibly tiny bucket marked "Iraq." Turning the spigot ostentatiously and theatrically, the hose jerks to life and an enormous ball of water begins descending, cartoon fashion, from the tap. Inexplicably, the ball gets smaller and smaller as it travels the length of the hose, until at the end, one teeny, tiny drop struggles out the end. With a vigorous shake, Dickie and Dickie manage to coax the drop into the bucket while the studio band plays a "ta dah!" fanfare. The studio audience erupts in raucous applause, while Dickie and Dickie take their bows. It is only then that the siphons on the hose become apparent, which have drained off all the water into containers hanging from Dickie and Dickie's belts. They pack up their gear and exit, stage left, the thunderous applause of the crowd of defense contractors still ringing in the studio.>

[Voltaire99]

12. Why not tax the US media?

It's made piles off this war.

Even better, we need a tax that is responsive to the psychological benefits accorded by the war to a certain notable demographic.

Yes, a tax mechanism to soak the yahoos in SUVs with their flags a-flappin'.

Call it the Flat World Tax. The rate shall be proportionate to mpg and number of flags on display, with an additional levy for those suburban patriots who use the pronoun "we" when discussing the war (as in, "we're taking some hits, sure, but we're winnin' this thing").

[The Magistrate]

13. 'May Fall Short'?

The sun may rise in the east tomorrow.

Whatever is said here, you may depend upon it: barely one dime on the pledged dollar will be actually delivered when it comes time to pony up.