Bush Rejects Europeans on Iraq Contract Flap (Yahoo)

[maxrandb]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20031211/ts_nm/iraq_usa_dc

Includes another stupid * soundbite for the mouth breathing wingnuts.

"If these countries want to participate in helping the world become more secure, by enabling Iraq to emerge as a free and peaceful country, one way to contribute is through debt restructuring," Bush said.

But helping reduce Iraq's estimated $120 billion foreign debt will not mean those nations can compete for the $18.6 billion, he said."

--and here's the snipet for the BushBots--

Bush scoffed at a question seeking his reaction to Schroeder's statement on Thursday that international law must apply to the awarding of the contracts.

"International law? I better call my lawyer," he said.

Yeah, I suggest you call your lawyer, you -----. Why, Oh Why is this shit so appealing to so many Americans. Have we really reached the level of saturational idiocy that thumbing your nose at International Law is not only accepted, it is encouraged? There will be a ton of folks that will get a chuckle out of this and think that "this is the kind of straight shooter, ride off into the sunset cowboy shit that we need in the White House."

:barf:

[Tempest]

1. A perfect example of how not to win friends and influence people

Russia has already said they will not forgive Iraq's debt.

France and Germany have said as much through indirect channels.

And the U.S. isolation continues unabated.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. yes, just like The Economist's headline

"How to lose friends and alienate people (contd)
You're not all right, Jacques
Why Rwanda is more trustworthy than France and Canada"

subscription-only article, unfortunately

[louis-t]

2. * is THE most lawless,

arrogant, coward this country has ever been run by. Infuriating!

[pinto]

3. I saw B*shboys little temper tantrum

you could see he was seething that the question was even asked, and royally miffed that the usual media manipulation (Contract ban announcement/Baker trip timing) didn't hold. Folks will eat it up in some quarters, though, as you point out. Don't think EU will be so gung ho cowboy! about it though. What we'll have left in this slide to self imposed isolation is the B*shco selling "We stand alone!" as some kind of rallying cry.

[papau]

4. Prime Contractor nixed for "Security Reasons" - but sub-contractor OK

status for any French, Germam, Russian, or Canadian company. Are these companies US Patriots only when called sub-contractors? Why does this not sound right? Could Bush be telling a lie - again. And when exposed as a lie, will the media avoid the word lie and the phrase "Bush lied", and instead say Bush backtracked, or say Bush administration folks on deep background explained what was really going on?


http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/12/11/sprj.irq.contracts/index.html

[aquart]

7. So, basically, it nothing but a slap in the face

at exactly the moment when sane people would have made nice?

WHY? If they can get the contracts anyway as subcontractors, why the hell make this arrogant and insulting announcement?

Why undercut Baker? Or isn't he being undercut?

[pinto]

9. subcontractors to US/UK corporatons.. I smell profit...n/t

[xxqqqzme]

5. if there is one prevailing

sentiment w/i this mis-administration, it is their thorough, unrelenting and unapologetic contempt for the law. Circumventing and being excused from the laws consequences, because of their wealth 'n birth order, now allows them to ridicule and flaunt their perceived positions as being above the law. They R now the true anarchists and outlaws.

[Papa]

6. Yes, Mr Bush, you better call your lawyer.

You arrogant ass. If there is any justice in this world, you will be impeached or be behind bars the rest of your life.

[ninkasi]

10. Incredible...

He's acting like a rapist submitting a bill for sexual services to his victim. His little temper tantrums are really, really becoming a national disgrace. What a pity, that our country has so declined since his illegal occupation of the White House.

[arcane1]

11. I have the most utterly stupid question about this:

isn't it up the the IRAQI PEOPLE to decide which corporations are allowed to profit from their natural resources and industries????

:shrug:


why is this NEVER mentioned? So much focus on the rudeness and arrogance of denying contracts to certain countries, but that's not the point!!!

[maxrandb]

12. Excellent Point

Why was Newt Gingrinch taking on the mis-ministration on Iraq. Why was he sighting the quick turnover of Afghanistan government compared to Iraq?

Could it possibly be because of the huge disparity of natural resources between Afghanistan and Iraq.

I hate to be cynical, but it appears that we don't give a shit about who or what controls Afghanistan because they have little to no profit to be made, although Rush himself looks like he could support their entire opiates export.

They wanted Iraq, NOT Since SEPT 11th, NOT since WMD, NOT since Mass Graves....they wanted Iraq from the minute/second the SCOTUS installed this creep.

Sickening

[pinto]

13. No sh*t. But in the interests of fairness, CPA says majority of sell-offs

will happen after Iraqi government is in place and they expect Iraqis to be in the bidding.....CPA has a three tierred ranking of companies/operations to be sold, according (they say) to viability.

Who knows.

When is there going to be an Iraqi government? What will it look like? How does Order 39 (from Bremer/CPA) affect sale of corporations.What corporations will be left "for sale". Why are we handling this anyway, as you said, arcane1?

Does my gut feeling that says this is a duck shoot mean anything?

I'm so punchy from the litany of deception out of Iraq, I question everything.

[arcane1]

14. and if that eventual Iraqi gov't told Halliburton to go to hell...?

would Halli just pack up and leave, while the US says "oh, well, you Iraqis are free to make that choice. Go on and let a Russian or Chinese company do that work instead"

:shrug:

Hell no they won't. The new Iraqi gov't will be accused of being terrorists and we'll bomb them all over again...


what most Americans don't realize, is that these contracts are not a result of the war, or an after-effect of the war, or a consequence of the war, etc...


they were the WHOLE GODDAMNED POINT OF THE WAR!!!


:argh::grr::mad:

[pinto]

18. yeah, it's a repeat of the whole thing with British Petroleum

and Massadagh (sp?). Somehow we (US) think we can finally make it right for corporations who have interests in Iraq. Didn't work then, won't work now. And we've made the spectacularly stupid blunder of incorporating a religious subtext to the affair.......not to mention the neo con plan for the "democratization" of the entire Middle East.

[BonjourUSA]

15. It's too late for the USA.

I think the UE-Russia axis is done. For UE Germany and France under the spotlight but with Belgium, Nederland.... and almost all the UE countries. Others will follow in very short time because their public opinion wants it or because their interest command to them (GB include). The Western world has definitively changed and the USA are isolated.

Perhaps this will be real issue for Canada.

[radfringe]

16. anyone know anything about this CNN story?

Buzzflash mailbag - towards the bottom
http://www.buzzflash.com/mailbag/03/12/mai03337.html

To the UN and Media:

Oh my god! I just called my mom and told her to turn on CNN Headline News. They just had a reporter at the White House saying George Bush might be willing to let France, Germany, Canada and Russia in on rebuilding contracts if they stop criticizing the Bush Administration! George Bush is the most dangerous terrorist to this world!

[scipan]

17. Oh, congratulations, Chimpy...

You just sabotaged Baker. That's why they don't let you out in public unscripted very often.

I love it when he shows his true colors like this. LOOK at this idiot, Amerika.

[Kellanved]

19. Just watched an Interview with Perle

:grr:
"Germany allied itself with Saddam..."
Why is he still allowed to spew his BS?

[Dirk39]

20. One time in his life, Perle tells the truth, and Kellanved gets angry

Don't you know about that BDI-meeting on June 29, 2002 in the Radisson SAS Hotel in Berlin, or don't you wanna know? Among them one SPD politician. It's like with the racist regime in Southafrica: noone supported them as much as german corporations.
You can read it all in the official BDI-Rundschreiben Nr. IM 102/200
jungle world
Nadir

And Schröder was pretty much informed, they simply reconsiled to keep it somehow secret from the german public.

Dear Mr. Perle: leave the Iraqis alone and nuke Schröder and Saddam down!
Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Kellanved]

21. Oh Dirk - pretty one-sided approach

I. learn using facts. There was no such meeting in 2002 (unless I'm very mistaken - in that case link plz).

II. Read the UN-papers: you'd see that the USA (and yes: France and Russia) did way more business with Iraq without getting suspected in such an idiotic manner. I don't deny that pre-war Iraq was used by companies (with help from their governments) to make profits. I've yet to see a nation approaching Iraq with other intentions post-war.

III. However: Schröer was pressurized by the German companies to join the coalition. The possible profits in reconstruction contracts and the free advertisement in the US woulda have been a much greater prize for German companies than food-for-oil ever was. Perle's statement was pure BS - especially considering the several thousand German soldiers deployed around Iraq.
Schröder did not join the coalition - by your logic he would have.

[Dirk39]

23. Here are some facts

This is one link. It was reported in Panaroma last summer, too. And the BDI Paper I mentioned is an officially paper by germans biggest industry association, that organized the meeting. You're very mistaken.
The majority of the big german corporations wanted the war, but they wanted to play the resistance game, to get the contracts later, cause they knew that the USA couldn't win that war. They did a lot of image-campaigning in Iraq, before the war. This is the reason, they're son angry, now. Even Bayer, who donnated to Bush before his election (200.000 Dollar), are biased. THE german companies you talk about, don't exist. But the majority wanted to profit from the war as well as from Germans ressistance to the war.

cbg
I fear, you're as blind about, what's going on in Germany and Europe as the freepers are about Bush and you believe every stupid nonsense, pappa Schröder is telling you.
Dirk

[Kellanved]

24. 2000 = 2002 ?

Pre 11/9 = post 11/9 ?
Now there is a sound argument.

With the war setting an end to food-for-oil anyway, I don't see how it would have been possible to play both sides against the middle.
Of course with weapon-traders one does never know

[pinto]

22. Perle statements recently re: Ger, EU, Iraq, etc. (link)

http://www.la.indymedia.org/news/2003/11/93287.php