In GOP, Concern Over Iraq Price Tag http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/washpost/20030926/ts_washpost/a2213_2003sep25 "A new curriculum for training an Iraqi army for $164 million. Five hundred experts, at $200,000 each, to investigate crimes against humanity. A witness protection program for $200,000 per Iraqi participant. A computer study for the Iraqi postal service: $54 million." "...$100 million to build seven planned communities with a total of 3,258 houses, plus roads, an elementary school, two high schools, a clinic, a place of worship and a market for each; $10 million to finance 100 prison-building experts for six months, at $100,000 an expert; 40 garbage trucks at $50,000 each; $900 million to import petroleum products such as kerosene and diesel to a country with the world's second-largest oil reserves; and $20 million for a four-week business course, at $10,000 per student." Looks like some Republicans are starting to realize the political ramifications for this regarding their fiscal conservatism. I would guess many Americans might be wondering why their schools and libraries are closing, their health plans are getting cut, and their local taxes are being raised...all when the U.S. government can afford to IMPORT oil into Iraq. One conservative said it best: "We're not talking sanity here," Dyer said. "The world's second-largest oil country is importing oil, and a country full of concrete is importing concrete." Remind anyone of that $50 million bridge story from last week?
Oh yeah, this is definitely $3,000 toilet seat stuff. The American people, when they finally realize the extent of the hoodwink job, will be steaming -- well, at least I am! But wait, there's more! Check out TPM today, the 2nd item down: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/. Looks like Bush's former campaign director is suddenly running a hotshot consulting firm in DC that promises to hook up any willing companies with fat contracts in -- you guessed, it, Iraq! The firm's liner notes: "The opportunities evolving in Iraq today are of such an unprecedented nature and scope that no other existing firm has the necessary skills and experience to be effective both in Washington, D.C. and on the ground in Iraq." Why can't the Bush lovers call a spade a spade? This is cronyism and corruption at its finest.
The best they will EVER be able to do is to submit that the Democrats have a history of doing the same thing...and they'd be right. Until and unless a credible alternative, or set thereof, to either party manifests itself, and bases itself upon oversight, transparency and often slowing down for democratic decision-making involving the people, prepare for more of the same, be it pork or pork accusations back and forth across the aisle...
Yes, graft is bipartisan. But we are now examining high-level corruption going on RIGHT NOW in front of our very eyes. It is being perpetrated by a Republican administration at the expense of the American people and on the backs of dead American soldiers in the Iraqi desert. Let's be fair to the taxpayers and the dead U.S. soldiers. Bush buddies profiting on the backs of fallen soldiers, profiting from a war, is downright squalid, if not treasonous. This isn't Whitewater bullsh!t accusations of embezzling 90k on some real estate deal 20 years ago, accusations that never were proved true anyway. This is FAR more serious, involving tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, lies to Congress and the American people and our allies, and the blood and lives of our soldiers. It must be brought fully to light. Yet so far, the mainstream press doesn't even bother to examine the story about Bush's campaign manger is now in the business of securing private government contracts for businesses in Iraq. I guess if a ************** isn't involved, it's just not news.
Iraq Reconstruction: four-week business course, at $10,000 per student. Harvard Business School: four weeks of its MBA program, at $3,542 per student. ($33,650 for Spring & Fall terms of 38 weeks)