Comments on: U.S. Officials Defend Iraq's Oil Surplus

Could Have Oil-Fed Budget Surplus Of $79 Billion, But They're Still Rebuilding With U.S. Dollars

[incog-nito]

In related news, one U.S. official was quoted as saying: "The American public should not be concerned. We are not paying for Iraq reconstructions. The hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money are paying for the no-bid contracts of our GOP corporate friends."

[jn122736]

When Pelosi unequivocally and completely removed even the possibility of impeachment at the very beginning of the newly democratic controlled House of Representatives, she, in effect guaranteed Bush a continued rubberstamp endorsement of the Iraq fiasco.

Posted by jn122736 at 09:54 AM : Aug 07, 2008

I really dont like Pelosi either but with a 1 seat majority in the senate all an impeachment would have done is wasted millions of dollars and tons of time.

When they should be working on real problems like energy and the economy.

Posted by fedupwithit1 at 10:26 AM : Aug 07, 2008
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Two comments on your response:

First,

An impeachment is a trial conducted in the Senate and prosecuted by the House of Representatives. Such a trial could have made a lot of evidence immune from executive privilege and available to the prosecutors.

At the very least it would have made Americans far more aware of the many deceptions and outright lies used to acquire congressional approval of the Iraq fiasco and very likely prevented Bush from being reelected in 2004.
That alone could have been spared us as much as $3 trillion of the current national debt
I wouldn%u2019t consider that a waste of time and money.

Second: Almost nothing has been accomplished concerning energy and the economy anyway.

[josebcruz]

ArmySgt5

We just can''t stop all funding of this war. What kind of irresponsible response is that? so we leave our Sons and Daughter out there with no bullets and other supplies to give them a chance to make it back home. I guess you have no children to understand that a parent wants them back home.

Bush has put this country in a predicament that we might never rebound from. Remember ALL EMPIRES FALL. Is this it for the United States ??? Because we are so divided to be able to see what all of this has done. When was the last time you heard bush mention Osama Binladen? This jerk does not evem mention this guy, because the Bush family and the Bin Laden family are business partners.

[ray999999]

do you know when a politicians lying ? (him/hers mouth is moving.

[jn122736]

Posted by renrivers at 09:48 AM : Aug 07, 2008
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So sad and so true

[kennedy7955]

"JackP32, I sure can defend thos policies. If you dont like them, leave the country! Posted by gop_forever"

Anyone that would choose GPO forever as their name has got to have a screw loose. So you are proud of where this country has gone in the last 8 years. What are you proud of exactly? What can George Bush do to lose your support that he has not already done?

You want those who dislike American policies to leave the country? If this country continues to be run the way Bush has been doing it, we are all going to have to leave.

[pensacola88]

Rebuilding Iraq is the right thing to do. Ignoring the Marshall plan after WW-I showed us that war-torn contries can rebuild themselves and their war-making capacity with stronger potency. This was what created the breeding ground for WW-II. Following the Marshal Plan after WW-II showed us that taking responibility for the major part of the reconstruction of the war-torn countries will yield a lasting stability and economic partnership.

$79 Billion buys a lot of infrastructure, but falls short of the 2-3 Trillion investment that is needed over the next 10 years. The good news, is that those who invest today, will likely see a windfall of longterm profit.

Some investors saw potential in Germany and Japan for their engine manufacturing in 1946. Today, they are major stockholders, in BMW, Porsche, VW, Honda, and Suzuki.

[jn122736]

All congress has to do is not fund the war. It is simple. They just dont fund the war and our President can not do anything.
Posted by ArmySgt5 at 09:08 AM : Aug 07, 2008
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ArmySgt5;

Our government was completely controlled by republicans for the first six years of this administration and even after 2006 the senate was still almost completely controlled by republicans, via presidential veto power.
Lieberman was then an independent, actually voting 100% republican, in ALL legislation concerning the Iraq fiasco.

In six years Bush did not veto one single bill passed by the republican dominated senate, yet any bill (concerning the Iraq fiasco) passed by the senate after 2006 was killed by a veto that was upheld by Republicans and Lieberman.

However, I will add that I have absolutely no respect for, or confidence, in Reid;

Because when Bush vetoed the only bill passed by the senate requiring a withdrawal timeline, Reid should have simply stopped further funding legislation and left the responsibility for lack of funding on Bush because of that veto.

Neither do I have any respect for, or confidence in Pelosy because;

When Pelosi unequivocally and completely removed even the possibility of impeachment at the very beginning of the newly democratic controlled House of Representatives, she, in effect guaranteed Bush a continued rubberstamp endorsement of the Iraq fiasco.

[Renegade.Rivers]

As long as the citizens of the United States continue to allow the continued funding of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, then we are going to see this kind if thing over and over again. I have come to the conclusion that most Americans don''t give a dam about what happens. because if the did, they would be in the streets protesting by the thousands, they aren''t so evidently they are content to let the status quo continue unabated. It don''t take a rocket scientist to figure all of this out. Anyone who believes that McCain is going to change anything, but his Depends is only fooling themselves, and anyone who believes that Obama is going to make this a better country to live in, is fooling themselves as well. Wasn''t it the Demos who said before the last election, we will shut off funding for the war in Iraq and bring the troops home? So much for that promise, so much for all the promises of politicians. Still you all wear your button from your favorite party like it is a badge of honor, when in reality it closely resembles a dunce cap. To the majority, all a candidate has to do is wear an American flag on his or her lapel, and they are mighty fine folks. It''s a con you idiots, and the majority of you folks are being conned right out of your homes, your jobs, and your country. The neo-con right, and the neo- left are stealing America and its citizens blind, but very few of you even let out a whimper. These are sad days in the history of America.

[rwassel]

ArmySgt5

They used the slogan because in 2007, they actually DID attach a timetable for a withdrawal to a bill. A bill that was vetoed by...George Bush!

And way to avoid the vacation comment.

[jackp32]

You Bush political hacks cannot defend outrageous fiscal policies in Iraq. It''s just another example of the stupidity of our gov''t officials and politicians. You people really enjoy putting it to the taxpayers because you know that we will sit around and do nothing. You are wrong this time. We have had it with the Repubs. A big wipeout is coming your way on Nov. 4. Watch the election returns.

[armysgt5]

rwassel

If not funding the war is a lose-lose situation, why did the DNC use "bring the troops home" as their campaign in 2006?

Answer: They will say anything they can to get elected and then do what they want.

[cbsfan73]

raflin1 wondered:
"One truly has to wonder how George Bush can sleep at night......."

He sleeps on a pillow and mattress stuffed with cash.

[xmanborg]

Such a HUGE PILE OF BULLL POOP, Iraq needs to pay for their own reconstruction from this point on. The US tax payer has had frickin all they can take. WAKE UP WASHINGTON WE ARE OVER IT.

[rwassel]

ArmySgt5 -

Speaking of funny comments, how ironic that you mentioned vacation, when our current idiot-in-chief has taken more vacation than any other president in U.S. history.

And what would happen if Congress didn''t fund the war? The administration would point the finger at them saying they are unpatriotic, and are going to put our troops in harm''s way. It''s a lose-lose situation - the only solution is to bring our troops home NOW.

But if you''re okay with having your tax dollars go to subsidizing the Iraqi government and their oil surplus, that''s cool. I love my country though...

[armysgt5]

josebcruz

All congress has to do is not fund the war. It is simple. They just dont fund the war and our President can not do anything.

[josebcruz]

Some very funny comments.

Everyone on here seems to think that our President uses a big check book to fund the war. You so quickly forget that our congress has the power to change the war and they have done nothing. Even after they campaign to end the war, they do nothing. They provide the funding and the oversight. You ask what the President is doing? Well, what is our congress doing? Nothing, they are on vacation.


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Posted by ArmySgt5 at 08:51 AM : Aug 07, 2008
I believe Congress needs a 2/3 majority to overide a Presidents veto power. This current Congress does not have this luxury, therefore this current Presidents vetos any decision that congress makes that is against his policy. This is the reason our congress is is unabke to make the changes we need.

Correct me if I am wrong about the 2/3 rule.

[armysgt5]

Some very funny comments.

Everyone on here seems to think that our President uses a big check book to fund the war. You so quickly forget that our congress has the power to change the war and they have done nothing. Even after they campaign to end the war, they do nothing. They provide the funding and the oversight. You ask what the President is doing? Well, what is our congress doing? Nothing, they are on vacation.

[omnibus66]

More evidence of the total incompetence of the Bush administration. Basically the article is saying that the Iraqis can''t spend their own money because they don''t know how to spend money.

Why doesn''t Bush send some people from Halliburton or Blackwater to teach them? Believe me, those guys know how to spend money. At least it disappears when they have access to it.

The surge is working, the surge is working. Keep saying it and maybe in a year or two you''ll believe it.

[antoniof123]

Hey when is this war going to pay for itself. I bet we the people will never see a dime of it.

However, I bet the clan will keep it all.