Yesterday in Baghdad, while on a congressional delegation visit, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) said that Iraq should repay the United States for the war there that President Bush started in 2003 (some estimates have put total war costs at around $3 trillion when all is said and done). “We would hope that some consideration be given to repaying the United States some of the mega-dollars that we have spent here in the last eight years,” Rohrabacher said. One day prior in Doha, Rohrabacher withdrew his support for the Libyan rebels because, according to the California congressman, they said they would not repay the U.S. for its costs in the air campaign there.
It turns out that the Iraqis didn’t appreciate Rohrabacher’s comments all that much and in fact, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh has asked Rohrabacher to leave Iraq. “We called the US embassy yesterday and we told them to ask the congressmen to leave Iraq,” he told AFP, adding, “We don’t want them here. What they said was inappropriate.” Reuters has more:
“Those people are not welcome in Iraq. They are raising a controversial issue which influences the strategic relation between us and the United States,” he said.
“They are asking for compensation for the war and we are not committed to pay anything to any of the people who participated in the invasion of Iraq,” he told Reuters.
Yesterday, Rohrabacher said that he had told Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in a meeting that Iraq should repay the U.S. but Iraqi government officials said “his congressional delegation had not raised the issue in a meeting” with Maliki.
Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died as a result of Bush’s war. Perhaps Rohrabacher doesn’t think that’s quite enough. But Rohrabacker’s rhetoric is not only embarrassing, it endangers American lives there. One American source serving in Iraq told ThinkProgress, “This is the type of rhetoric that creates violence against the troops. It’s a poster for the Sadr crowd, and everyone else, that we are occupiers, not liberators [and] here for their oil money.”
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8 comments:
just give us $10 barrel for next 10 yrs
I say since they are not willing to pony up any money we bring all our troops home. The hospitals, schools and CLEAN drinking water we have supplied them with should come home with the troops.
Folks, we decided to go there and bomb and invade. They don't "owe" us anything. Our misguided politicians and military industrial complex decided it was "Best" for America to invade Iraq. Blame those that sent us there, not the civilians who were forced to live under a tyrannical dictator(Saddam) and now are forced to live under an occupying force.
Where's the missing 6 billion we sent over there in aid?
558-Those questions should be lobbied at our own military and civilian contractors, who were in control of said funds. There was ZERO accountability within our own ranks.
it maybe true that THOUSANDS have been killed since the start of this war but MOST of the deaths have been by the terrorists that breed there that these cowards will not do anything about.By the way what happened to "this war is about oil" its amazing how the left talking points and slogans have changed when one of THERE own is in office,if we were there for oil gas would not be what it is
We try to take care of the world and cannot take care of ourself, what fools we are.
not only have we spent the money just on war efforts weve spent money on aid rebuilding their communities that includes schools,hospitals,houses,etc.we have oufitted much of the iraqi army and security forces with clothing,weapons,eqiupment,vehicles,and training.we provided a service although we went there for other reasons the people wanted sadaam out and we helped them.they still hate us and that will never change i highly doubt we will recieve any amount of a payback i wouldnt even expect to recieve a thank you.oh and the govt believes that its cheaper to leave behind,give away,or destroy up armored vehicles instead of bringing them back to the united states.who would think wed end up in a budget crisis.no way.
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