Why should rebuilding Iraq be bankrupting the US when it's our own

[Kbowe]

corporations doing the work. Where is there patriotism? If throwing out Saddam and gaining control of Iraq and forcing democracy in the region is so much in our "national interests" why should this be bankrupting the public coffers? Why shouldn't these coporporation "serve" the country as our children in the military do? What are these corporations "sacrificing?" Why should they be getting top dollar to do what is in their own best interest? If all this is so important, why aren't they foregoing massive profits and getting on with their patriotism?

[Iverson]

1. simple answer

When you bankrupt the public coffers, social programs and other spending on people becomes harder to do, and in fact massive cuts to those things become far more likely. That is the goal: Reaganomics writ large.

[cthrumatrix]

2. this is "wealth transfer" from Iraq to corporations...

Certainly not covered by our corporate media

[dansolo]

5. Wealth transfer from US taxpayers

The money going to the corporations is not coming from Iraq. It is coming from US taxpayers. The funny thing is that wasn't one of the selling points of privatization that competition will reduce costs? But by having many of the contracts no-bid, they are completely eliminating competition, so there is no incentive for the contactors to manage costs.

[BeHereNow]

3. Not "our" corporations

They are not American corporations- they are transnational
corporations. They have no connection to "American interests"
except in the cases where the elite Americans share profits
through ownership in them. They have taken over our tax dollars
in the name of national security- they control our congress and senate
to their own benefits- they don't give a damn about the regular nine to five
work force in this country. They don't give a damn about this country.
Fact is, they are only determined to get every last tax dollar they can
out of our population and leave us bleeding by the roadside.
As Leonard Cohen said, "I have seen the future, it is murder..."

Sleep on America, for soon you shall wake to the fate of the
rest of humanity, of which you took no notice for so long.
Equal opportunity poverty is the plan.

BHN

[Karenina]

4. Just in case anyone missed it...

"Equal opportunity poverty is the plan."

[Hubert Flottz]

6. At least they are letting you the taxpayer pay to secure Iraq so

that Bush's pals can make a killing on the oil! Doesn't that make you feel better? If they do stabilize the situation in Iraq then they can set up some factories there and ship out more American jobs! Pretty soon nobody in America will have to get up in the mornings and go to work! We can all live like the Repubs who haven't gotten up and gone to work for generations! If you're LAZY just vote Repub!

[TreasonousBastard]

7. In theory...

we send our companies over there and they run the oil fields, making profits and returning those profits to the US.

Like many economic theories, this one isn't working out all that well in the real world.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. I wrote to my Senators last week..

suggesting that the 'extra' billions for Iraq be paid by a 'windfall profit' tax on US Corporations (oil & Haliburton, etc.). Can't wait to get a response from one of them!!