Iraq Budget Surplus May Hit $80 Billion...

@anniepa (27955)
United States
August 6, 2008 8:39am CST
That's right, their oil-fueled surplus may reach $80 billion but WE'RE still paying for their reconstruction. Weren't we promised "cheap gas" due to this war? http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/05/iraq.oil/?iref=hpmostpop " Leading members of Congress, noting that Washington is paying for reconstruction in Iraq, expressed outrage at the assessment. One called the findings "inexcusable." "We should not be paying for Iraqi projects while Iraqi oil revenues continue to pile up in the bank, including outrageous profits from $4-a-gallon gas prices in the U.S.," said Sen. Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We should require that U.S. taxpayers be reimbursed for the cost of large projects."" What do you think, should U.S. taxpayers be reimbursed? Do you think we ever will be? Annie
2 people like this
8 responses
• United States
6 Aug 08
The little guy never gets a dime back. Get that idea out of your head. However, with reports of 80 billion in revenue from a product that we consume the majority of I see changes coming down the line. Every Iraqi has health coverage and some form of government aid. Not so in the good ole' USA. Iraqis pay something like $.35 per gallon for gasoline. No so in the good Ole' USA. It seems that we are entitled to some of that oil. We shouldn't even be in Iraq never mind spending the absurd amounts of money we are spending. Iraq isn't exactly a third world country. It is one of the richest countries in the world. We liberated them... Isn't it time for a little payback. Maybe in the form of light sweet crude :)
2 people like this
• United States
7 Aug 08
"Every Iraqi has health coverage and some form of government aid" are you serious?! everybody can go to the doctor/emergency room even if they dont have a penny in their pocket??!! how the hell do they have health coverage like that and we dont? just last week my brother got turned away from an emergency room because he had no insurance and told them he wasnt working!! and get this...his arm is so messed up it can be moved in and out of the socket AT THE SHOULDER!! he is in constant pain and cant feel much of his fingers anymore!! THEY WOULNDT EVEN GIVE HIM A SLING TO PUT IT IN!! much less an x-ray! he has finally found help with a very nice and sympathic doctor, thank heavens! ooh that makes me mad!
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
7 Aug 08
Cinder, this hospital broke the law and should be reported.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
6 Aug 08
Just another example how we get hosed by people we help in an ungrateful world. We have even gone and forgiven any debt owed in the past under the Baath rule. Annie, this is one of those times I agree with you 100%. I'm all for doing what ever we can to help them finish stabilizing their nation. It's actually in our interest to do so. I'm even for staying on for a while in a military support and advisory role until such time they can do it themselves. I'm all for economic advice, helping utilities get up and running, helping schools set up. ANYTHING they may need help with. But for Christ sakes, how much are we expected to pay for it? It's not like they are a poor destitute country. They have resources, and not just oil. They have a tourist industry. They have a cultural attraction and archaeological wealth. No excuses any more. Pay up Iraq. We did our part and then some.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Aug 08
It's really something; they have a huge budget surplus, we have a huge deficit, they have gas at $0.35/gallon, we pay around $4. Weren't we "promised" cheap gas and oil at the start of this war? Didn't someone say the Iraqi oil revenues would pay for the whole war? Gee, something didn't go right right! Annie
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
7 Aug 08
This is where we may clash, or it may be where you may say ok, maybe I was right on this, but this goes far in dispelling the blood for oil myth. there was never a guaranty that any U.S. companies would get even one single oil contract. That being said, it enrages me that they are paying so little for gas and I'm taking out a personal loan to fill up my tank. It doesn't change the fact that there is no reason they can't use the oil wealth they have to help pay for their freedom. Our soldiers (and yes theirs too) paid for it with their lives. But we have almost completely singularly paid for the financial cost of it.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
6 Aug 08
I never thought of all that, you are right they are a rich country why is anyone else paying for anything, something sounds a bit wrong there... gee they can afford to give the rest of the world a bit....
@rohit0471 (195)
• India
7 Aug 08
you are very right! lots of unforeseen complications are making the US forces stay in Iraq a long and tedious one. mounting fuel costs add to the woe. I think US tax payers should be reimbursed for so big a folly of the government, though it may not happen in the near future!!!
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
6 Aug 08
Yes we should but will we heck NO. I guess this is one more reason why our troops should be brought home. Congress should come off of their vacations do whatever makes the Republicans happy and then start something to either get us out of Iraq or to stop the funding for rebuilding. It doesn't appear that they need our broken dollar to fix their country.
2 people like this
@inutme (372)
• Philippines
7 Aug 08
I was very surprised to hear about this this morning. Gas prices all over the world are shooting up at insane levels and they might actually have an $80 billion surplus?? What the h***! Gas prices here in my 3rd world country has almost doubled already, and even if it still is cheaper compared to the price in the US, the increase has affected so many people and businesses. And to answer your question, I don't think US taxpayers will ever be reimbursed. If you talk about this with some anti-US people, you will definitely be scorned upon. There are so many people around the world who are against the US interfering with Iraq (and other countries) and they will tell you that it's your fault that you went there and attacked the country in the first place.. And about the rebuilding thing, your troops can always leave without helping the country, that's actually how war goes right? But I guess the US is a little too nice?
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
7 Aug 08
intume, it is how we operate. We war, we stay and rebuild. I guess it opens us to being taken advantage of but some things, like principal are more important. that being said, many Americans are tired of it. It is why so many here are apposed to being so involved in world affairs, because often times, it isn't appreciated, even when it doesn't involve war.
• United States
7 Aug 08
i heard this on CNN earlier today and it was all i could do to not have a conniption fit!! it is utterly unbelievable that they have a surplus THAT HUGE and WE are still there, still paying for whatever they need! they spoke with Rudy Guilianni and he was basically saying that Iraq SHOULD NOT pay us back!! that we should use this information for building a stronger political ally" WTF?! sure giving us some of that oil would be great! reimbursing the US for the gargantuan amount of money we have been pouring into their country would be BETTER! strike that...DO BOTH YOU!!! ok..ive gotten mad again about this...i seriously dont understand how every single person in the country AND on capitol hill isnt foaming at the mouth about this!
• Philippines
7 Aug 08
Good day.. Just being level - minded here but who started the war? I mean those who started the war should pay right? Like Japan paid the other southeast asian nation because it started the war right? Who started the war?