HUCK FINN COMMENTS: Talk about pouring salt on a wound. As America fights recession, I read an article in The Wall Street Journal, "Baghdad's Strange Dilemma: Flush With Oil Cash, Unable to Spend It," which gave me these wonderful facts:
Fact #1: In 2006, the Iraqi government spent 22% of its $6 Billion capital budget, which is aimed at improving Iraq's infrastructure, while the Iraqi oil ministry spent less than 3% of its reconstruction money.
America is spending $12 Billion a month on the war in Iraq and
Afghanistan. It would have been nice if Iraq pitched in on some of the military bills and payments to companies like Halliburton.
Fact #2: In 2007, Iraq spent 7% of its $10 billion capital budget as of November, and the final figure will be no more than 50% of the budget.
We could have asked Iraq for a loan to pay down our national debt or help us rebuild New Orleans and other regions affected by Katrina. What do you think?
Fact #3: Baghdad's coffers are swelling: the country's foreign exchange reserves have more than tripled to $22 Billion.
Maybe Iraq can give us $12 Billion to pay for one month worth of military costs?
Fact #4: America has spent $47 billion American taxpayer dollars to rebuild Iraq.
We could have used this money to save people from having their homes foreclosed, here in America.
Fact #5: The reason for the logjam in spending is that the Iraq government is not computerized enough to handle capital expenditures electronically and lack of experienced government officials trained in basic budget procedures. In fact, supposedly, the Iraq government is doing all their budgeting manually.
Are you kidding me?
Let's see. We spend a gazillion dollars per month in Iraq and their country is sitting on a substantial amount of money in reserve. Why can't Iraq buy a few computers with Quicken financial software to run budgets?
Algebra was invented in the Middle East.
That's why I can't buy this story in The Wall Street Journal. Middle Eastern people aren't stupid. Many are highly educated. They know mathematics. The article is a complete insult to the educated readers of Wall Street Journal as well as the Iraqi people.
So, what we have is a country which supposedly can't spent its money fast enough from oil revenues while America continues to go further in debt.
At least America knows how to create a budget surplus...for someone.
Last week, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on the waste of U.S. taxpayer money in Iraq. U.S. Comptroller General David Walker made the following statement:
"The Iraqis have a budget surplus."
I wish he could say the same for America. I guess President Bush would put that down as a positive in his legacy column.
What would Putin do? We know Putin doesn't use computers, but would he send some smart Russians to Iraq with computers loaded with Quicken to help them budget?
Da, that is the question.
Huck Finn, Chairman, The Amerikan Party
"Smart-Ass Politics for Smart People.” TM
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