Grabfest for Spoils of Iraq War: Greed or Sheer Arrogance ?

Latest: Read Here the Editorial in Washington Post "Boomerang Diplomacy " :Quote:

'Mr. Bush and his Pentagon hawks may believe they are meting out just punishment to countries that have opposed the mission in Iraq. But there will be little cost to Germany, France, Canada or Russia. Instead, the real price will be paid by Iraqis and the American soldiers and civilians trying to help them.'
-Washington Post

The US has decided to exclude France, Germany, Russia and other anti-war nations from bidding for $25 billion in Iraqi reconstruction contracts. But at the same time, President Bush has asked France, Germany and Russia to forgive Iraqi debts.

US President George W. Bush defended the decision to cut foes of the Iraq war out of reconstruction contracts there but said he would be "very grateful" if those countries help reduce Iraq's debt. Read More

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov responded to the U.S. announcement by telling journalists there would be no debt deal. Read More

In Moscow, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov threatened a tit-for-tat response. Russia could also retaliate against the U.S. decision by switching its oil exports to euro-denominated prices. Read More

Many of the US firms which won lucrative Iraqi reconstruction contracts are major donors to President George W Bush's political campaigns, according to a new report. The report, by Centre for Public Integrity (CPI), claims that most of the contractors gave more money to Mr Bush's 2000 presidential campaign than to any other in the last 10 years. Read More... and also Read Here CPI's report on list of US contractors for Iraq

Australia, Britain, Japan, Italy and Spain are among 61 countries that supported the US-led war and are welcome to bid for the 26 US-funded contracts, which range from rebuilding Iraq's electricity, water and oil infrastructure to equipping its new army. Read here for more

The Pentagon said on Thursday it would likely issue tenders for $18.6 billion in U.S.-funded contracts to rebuild Iraq in the next few days and played down a delay in advertising the lucrative deals. Read More

New Zealand has been named in a controversial list of countries eligible to bid for lucrative contracts in Iraq because of their backing of the United States. Read more

The Pentagon yesterday banned Canadian companies from bidding for contracts worth $18.6 billion (U.S.) to help reconstruct Iraq because of Canada's opposition to the U.S.-led war in the Persian Gulf nation.

Neocon William Kristol writes to say Bush should reverse Pentagon's decision on the Iraqi contracts. " A deviously smart American administration would have quietly distributed contracts for rebuilding Iraq as it saw fit, without any announced policy of discrimination", he said.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hit out Thursday at the United States for barring countries that opposed the Iraq war from bidding for reconstruction contracts Read More

Europe's foreign affairs chief called the U.S. decision to bar opponents of the war in Iraq from reconstruction contracts "gratuitous and unhelpful'' when unity is needed. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan echoed that theme, telling reporters in Berlin the decision was "unfortunate'' and "not unifying'' at a time when diplomats were seeking to rebuild an international consensus on Iraq. Read MORE

Israel does not appear on the list of countries from which companies can bid on 26 infrastructure projects in Iraq, though Israeli advisers are helping train US special forces in counter-insurgency operations in Iraq. Read MORE

Indian companies banned from bidding for a primary share of the $18.6 billion worth of Iraq reconstruction contracts being awarded through the US-run Coalition Provisional Authority in that country. Read More

The European Union said yesterday that it will examine whether the United States violates world trade rules with its decision to bar countries that opposed its war in Iraq from bidding for $18.6 billion worth of reconstruction contracts. Read More

Prospective bidders are salivating over new Iraqi business worth up to $18.7 billion, from sellers of trucks and power generators to construction giants and oil refinery specialists. A sold-out Pentagon conference for contractors at an Arlington, Virginia, hotel on Wednesday had the heady feeling of a Gold Rush

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