Iraq Refutes Sen. Levin's Claim It Exploits US Money

Wolf Blizter interviewed Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on CNN’s Late Edition  about Iraq’s oil revenues and D-Sen. Carl Levin’s crude accusations during the Petraeus/Crocker hearings last week that Iraqis are satisfied to stand by and use American money while they hoard their own:

(transcript)

LEVIN: The Iraqi government seems content to sit by, build up surpluses, and let Americans reconstruct their country and Americans foot the bill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Now, as you know, Foreign Minister, there are a lot of Americans, especially lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who feel they are being played for suckers right now, that the Iraqis have all this oil money, but the U.S. taxpayers are still paying the bills.

ZEBARI: Well, we appreciate very much what the U.S. is contributing to help the Iraqis to rebuild, reconstruct the country. But in fact, we are shouldering the main burden on looking after our people, and extending services, and carrying out reconstruction projects throughout the country.

And again, I would say, really, that the figures that Mr. Levin introduced, compared to what we have spent, differ widely. And I agree to a certain extent that there is some shortcomings in the management, in the administration, in the corruption level. But we are doing our best.

We are not standing by. This is our country. And we are spending on ourselves.

And as GEN Petraeus points out, Iraqis are also dying for their country by a 3-1 ratio to American casualties.  

You know, Democrats may honestly believe what they’re saying in terms of reporting facts and figures, but they need a lesson in diplomacy and dealing with our allies, particularly considering they tout themselves as the party that will restore American’s reputation in the world.

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Comments

[Amy Proctor]

I'll cross post my comments I offered at ThinkingMeat's site, who left the trackback above:

Is that your only argument, that I'm wrong? Shouldn't you try to prove it?

The Iraqi Foreign Minister is correct in his assertion that Iraq is bearing much of the burden and if you look at it from a purely geographical standpoint it can be argued that they are bearing the overwhelming brunt of the burden. The war is, after all, in their country.

Sen. Levin doesn't seem to understand that the Iraqi economy was completely demolished in 2003. The banking system has only been opened for 2 years which is why Iraq uses US banks. Terrorists are constantly trying to sabatogue the banks and services which means they must be build and rebuilt.

And we're spending less than 1% of our GDP on Iraq.

The point is that the world, including Iraq and Iran, watch the circus Democrats create on the Senate committee hearings and the insulting manner in which Democrats enjoy demeaning our allies with completely contradicts their idea that they have some hope of "restoring America's reputation" in the world. They are what is damaging it.

Leaders are always envied, criticized and put down. The U.S. is the world leader in almost every category. Democrats would rather subvert the US into a "peer pressure" acquiescence rather than embracing the "it's lonely at the top" reality that comes along with leading the rest of the globe.

[mudkitty]

So what did you expect? Did you expect him to say "Yes, we're exploiting U.S. money?"

As for the casualty rate, it's called sectarian, civil war.

[Amy Proctor]

What would you expect anti-war Levin to say but Iraqis aren't doing anything but using our money? They've been practicing that line for years.

[mudkitty]

The proof is in the mission accomplished pudding.

How many more years do you want this war to continue? How ever long it takes? How long is that?

[Amy Proctor]

What does it matter to you how long the war takes? You don't carea bout Iraqis, soldiers or certainly me and my family, so what does it matter to you?

If the U.S. hadn't maintained a presence in S. Korea N. Korea would have probably attacked them by now. So, yes, as long as it takes. GO ARMY!

[mudkitty]

"What does it matter how long the war takes?!!!!!!! Are you serious? It matters to Iraqis, for one thing. It would matter to you if your husband were to be killed by a falling U.S. bomb, or an insurgent road side bomb.

We're not talking about a base of operations, we're talking about an occupation. A war.

War is not a disco. And this ain't Korea. The comparison is dishonest.

[mudkitty]

It matters to the dead, and the soon to be dead, and the families of the dead. You've really shocked me with this one, Amy.