Tom Korologos, lobbyist for Paul Bremer–top U.S. envoy in Iraq–said he was pleased.
“Any time something like this comes to fruition with almost 100 percent of what we want, I’ll take it and run,” Korologos said.
Additional information from this Chicago Tribune article regarding Congress’ approval of George’s $87 billion velvet glove:
The Senate cut the proposed $20 billion in humanitarian aid to $18.6 billion, eliminating money the president had requested to buy garbage trucks, institute ZIP codes and build a hospital in Basra. House Republicans had eliminated those programs as well, but allowed the administration to shift the money to other projects.
The Senate on Friday also approved, 96-3, Durbin’s amendment to ensure that federal employees in the National Guard and Reserves are paid the equivalent of their full civilian salary while on active military duty.
Federal employees only? How do they live with these decisions?
On the issue of making part of the money a loan v. grant:
Lawmakers will need to resolve the issue of grants versus loans in a conference committee before a final version of the bill can be sent to the president. And lawmakers who supported asking Iraq to bear some of the cost warned Republican leaders against stripping the loan requirement out of the bill.
Next week, U.S. officials will meet representatives of Germany, France and Russia in Madrid to discuss writing off those countries’ loans to the former regime of Saddam Hussein.
I think it’s highly unlikely that U.S. officials attending this donor conference with hat in hand will make a serious request of this nature.
Once again the Congress in collusion with the corrupt WH takes another giant step towards solidifying the illegal occupation of Iraq and delivers a message to the Iraqi people that their future is in a hand sheathed in a velvet glove.
The Chicago Tribune quoted Frist as saying “We will continue to fight very hard to see that this money is grants,” instead of loans.
The idea that this money is a gift to the Iraqi people is ludicrous. It’s not going to them but to the U.S. corporations stealing their country and its future out from under their feet.
Shameful.