Guest INXS Report post Posted October 27, 2004 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3740016.stm The effort to rebuild Iraq is in the spotlight again as a conference of donor nations gets underway in Tokyo. Rebuilding Iraq's shattered infrastructure ranks as one of the most challenging reconstruction tasks faced by the international community since the World War II. Last year's US-led invasion caused widespread damage, but much of the country was already in a decrepit state after years of mismanagement under Saddam Hussein's regime. An eight-year war against Iran during the 1980s, coupled with economic sanctions imposed in the wake of Saddam's ill-fated invasion of Kuwait in 1990, also took their toll. Last year, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund calculated that restoring Iraq's water, power, road and telecommunications networks would cost $35.8bn (£20bn ; 28.8bn euros). Repair bill The Coalition Provisional Authority, which governed Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion, estimated that reconstruction work not taken into account in the World Bank/IMF study, including repairs to the oil industry, would cost another $20bn. To put these figures into perspective, the World Bank estimates that Iraq's gross domestic product - the combined value of all the goods and services the country produces - stood at just $18.4bn in 2002, the year before the US-led invasion. In October 2003, a group of 37 countries agreed to provide a total of $32.1bn towards the reconstruction effort. By far the biggest contribution came from the US, which set aside $18.6bn, followed by Japan, with $4.9bn. Other major donors included Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, which pledged $500m each, the UK, with $452m, and Spain, with $220m. Spending delays However, the reconstruction programme has made disappointing progress since then, mainly because work on the ground has been hampered by an unexpectedly fierce campaign of violence by Iraqi insurgents. The most telling measure of the difficulties faced by contractors operating in Iraq is the unexpectedly slow pace at which the reconstruction money is being spent. According to the US government, just $1.2bn of its budget had been spent by 22 September. Of this, $623m - more than half - was spent on security-related measures, including training and equipping the Iraqi army and police force. Repairs to the electricity network were the second biggest item of expenditure, absorbing $300m. Moreover, the US in August diverted some $3.4bn it had set aside to rebuild Iraq's water and power networks towards measures aimed at improving security and creating jobs. Meanwhile, the other donor nations - who between them pledged $13.5bn - have so far released only about $1bn of the total, partly because of concerns over the deteriorating security situation. Iraqi leaders are urging them to disburse the rest of the cash, saying that speedily completing the reconstruction work offers the best hope of ending the violence that plagues the country. This isn't a post to bash the US. I found it interesting to see who else is contributing, and how much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2004 Quit faking -- we all know you want to piss and moan. It's OK. Be the INXS that we all know and love... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2004 Quit faking -- we all know you want to piss and moan. It's OK. Be the INXS that we all know and love... Maybe YOU love him... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 27, 2004 But I thought we were shouldering 90% of the burden... -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2004 Quit faking -- we all know you want to piss and moan. It's OK. Be the INXS that we all know and love... Maybe YOU love him... If you don't find humor in his insanity, then you don't deserve to be a member of the CB. Go hang out with the pseudo-club Tyler is trying to put together... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2004 Yes, join the Liberal Legions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Ha. You make up some lame name and think you can compete with the CB -- what do you think you are, Air America? CB = Formed after a groundswell of grass-roots support came from some idiotic remark made by Kamui. Totally spur-of-the-moment. LL = Manufactured by some hippie faggot... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Yes, join the Liberal Legions. I'd rather not turn in my testicles, thanks though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Yes, join the Liberal Legions. I'd rather not turn in my testicles, thanks though. Maybe he meant Liberal Lesions. Which means you likely have to get a virus of some sort --- or a nasty infection at the bare minimum. Which explains their mindset, if you think about it. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Swing and a miss. Can't hit 'em all out of the park though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Hell I thought that was pretty funny -- then again, I'm tired but can't get to sleep. It at least gets a double off the Green Monster... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Considering the impressive leadership the CONSERVATIVE BRIGADE~! has in place, the Liberal Legion or the Commie Coalition or the Happy Hippies, or whatever they're called, will find it impossible to keep up. You shall all be ground beneath my jack-booted heel. MUAHAHAHAHA~! KNEEL BEFORE ZOD~! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Considering the impressive leadership the CONSERVATIVE BRIGADE~! has in place, the Liberal Legion or the Commie Coalition or the Happy Hippies, or whatever they're called, will find it impossible to keep up. You shall all be ground beneath my jack-booted heel. MUAHAHAHAHA~! KNEEL BEFORE ZOD~! I already am. Voting for him in fact. It's not just a signature, it's a way of life. Also, I'm actually stunned we aren't paying for it all. Least some good news once we get the government in place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Kind of off topic but, I just heard a clip of Bush saying how Kerry was jumping to conclusions about the missing weapons, and I quote " a man who jumps to conclusions before he has all the facts, is a man you don't want as commander and chief" Wow, did that not just sum up Bush's march to war or what? So I guess Bush is telling people not to vote for Bush. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Considering the impressive leadership the CONSERVATIVE BRIGADE~! has in place, the Liberal Legion or the Commie Coalition or the Happy Hippies, or whatever they're called... I like Commie Coalition. Too bad it's still manufactured... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted October 28, 2004 Kind of off topic but, I just heard a clip of Bush saying how Kerry was jumping to conclusions about the missing weapons, and I quote " a man who jumps to conclusions before he has all the facts, is a man you don't want as commander and chief" Wow, did that not just sum up Bush's march to war or what? So I guess Bush is telling people not to vote for Bush. Clinton said don't vote for a party who appeals to your fear. That describes the Democrats to a tee. Clinton said don't vote for Kerry. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
