Auditors: Iraq faces budget surplus

[Tab]

Source: AP

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 18 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Iraq isn't spending much of its own money, despite soaring oil revenues that are pushing the country toward a massive budget surplus, auditors told Congress on Tuesday.

The expected surplus comes as the U.S. continues to invest billions of dollars in rebuilding Iraq and faces a financial squeeze domestically because of record oil prices.

"The Iraqis have a budget surplus," said U.S. Comptroller General David Walker. "We have a huge budget deficit. . . . One of the questions is who should be paying."
...
"They ought to be able to use some of their oil to pay for their own costs and not keep sending the bill to the United States," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

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Must be nice.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. So, are we just going to take the money away from them? Why should Iraq have

to pay for an occupation?

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Haliburton is clearly not doing its job properly n/t

[underpants]

5. It's not like they aren't trying--the KBR towel

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/11/kbr-forces-its-towels-on-us-troops/

KBR forces its towels on U.S. troops.In a hearing today on waste, fraud, and abuse in Iraq, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said the defense contractor KBR, formerly of Halliburton, has been stamping its logo on towels given to U.S. troops. Dorgan said a contractor told him that he ordered plain white towels for troops, but the “superviser” said the towels must have the KBR logo on them — despite the cost to taxpayers:

He said the problem is, that will triple or quadruple the price. His superviser said, ‘doesn’t matter. This is a cost-plus contract. Taxpayers pay for that.’ So this is the towel the troops got, with KBR embroidered on it.

Watch it:

[Deny and Shred]

3. Who would use their own $$$ when we are content to flip the bill?

"U.S. officials contend that Iraq's lack of spending is due primarily to Baghdad's inability to determine where its money is needed most and how to allocate it efficiently."

Baghdad's inability might stem from so few members of Parliament showing up, and so many out of the country.

[blogslut]

4. Well, isn't that ironic?

I mean, isn't it?