Not Playing Well With Others

[Sequoia]

The Bush administration has loudly complained about other nations refusing to commit troops and money to the rebuilding of Iraq - and now it has all but guaranteed that some of them never will.

In a decision that was both gratuitous and petty, the administration said it will bar companies from countries that opposed the war from bidding as prime contractors on $18.6 billion worth of contracts for rebuilding Iraq.

Among the blacklisted are countries that are old friends and valued allies, such as Canada, Germany and France. Also among the excluded are countries like Russia and China, where we've worked hard to build good relations.

<snip>


http://kfty.com/news/news_commentary/story.aspx?content_id=F2E2A48D-056B-4A83-A441-2BB7A58AFEC9

[lumpy]

1. Yes, but if they start supporting Bush now

by getting their hands bloody or sending the filthy lucre they might have a chance of getting on the 'most favored list' for contracts. Spinmeister say the pariahs may be getting subcontracting work at any rate, a puff but no cigar.

[Ilsa]

2. Bush doesn't want them there!

He wants ALL the contracts to be home-based. Afterall, what's a few hundred (thousand) more American soldiers lives as long as we get the loot?

[laruemtt]

3. oooooh - i can't wait

for karma to splat in that as*&hole's face

[louis-t]

4. But wait, there's more!

These are the same countries who are now expected to forgive Iraqi debt. Can you imagine? Someone else invades a country that you do business with and that owes you billions. If you don't just fall in line and agree to attack that country also, you are expected to lose all of your contracts and forgive that debt. In addition, you will not be given any chance to win some of that business back in a bidding process. Such a uniter our dear unelected leader is.

[jbfam4]

5. My exact thoughts,

but you expressed it better than I .

Why not give the countries Iraq owes money the contracts in exchange for the money owed?

[Demeter]

6. This is looking glass world

Exchanging contracts for debt relief makes far too much sense.

Besides, you know who will be paying off that debt? The nieces and nephews of "Uncle Sucker"

[WKanaday]

7. The Contracts

I guess letting these other countries in on the work would get the international community envolved. But don't we want jobs for Americans? I think everyone should be behind this idea. It will create American jobs and boost our economy. I do think it was short sighted of these countries to think we would help them make money when they didn't help us earlier.

[hippywife]

10. They didn't "help" us

because it would have been aiding and abetting a criminal act.

This is yet another Bush Administration ploy to bribe and payoff nations that were too poor or weak to resist them. The others stood stong against the Iraq War (some for not so altruistic reasons).

Like them, I am sitting back and watching all of this adding to the many straws already weighing down that camel's back and can't wait to see this administration fall flat on its face.

And if you really think about it, many of the countries that are eligible to bid on these contracts don't have the money or the resources to actually fulfill them. Gee, if they are symbolically awarded one of these contracts, I wonder where their financing will come from?

[Kellanved]

8. Why the Trouble?

With the Dollar vs. the Euro no European company has a chance to win a fair bidding anyway.

[Swede]

9. Your kinda a puke yourself