Payback - French, Germans and Russians barred from Iraq contracts

[aaglo]

Heh... I didn't know that Finland does not qualify as a contractor...

Bush is a silly bastard...

[Gangerolf]

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
All the people's are united in their criticism of the United States concerning it's arrogant, hegemonistic policy of "With us or against us"! All the peoples shall surely choose to be against the current US regieme!

is that what they're singing?

[DAVOUT]

Custer Battles, the
security company that employs him, has a big contract to man roadblocks
and guard facilities such as the Iraqi Airports.

What a creative name to get a mercenary contract with licence to kill !

[CerberusIV]

This must be the exception that proves the rule - for once I agree with the US administration over Iraq. If particular governments won't participate in the security and reconstruction why should they get the economic benefits of companies that will pay taxes to them being awarded contracts.

As for Iraq's debts, I expect that to be quietly sorted out by an Iraqi government once one is established. There will be some sort of deal to restructure and write off part of the debt. After all, there are a lot of countries who claim money who would not want it made public what the money actually got spent on, nor would it look good for them to be cast as impeding the development of the new, improved Iraq.

[PLATO]

“The U.S. decision is gratuitous and extremely unhelpful,” European Union External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said on Thursday. “We should be seeking to bring people together, not divide them.”

Yeah...right.

[PLATO]

Fables are more than stories for children.




Fair-Weather Friends: A Fable
12:01 AM CST on Thursday, December 11, 2003
By ROD DREHER / The Dallas Morning News

The Pentagon has barred French, German and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, saying it was acting to protect "the essential security interests of the United States."

***********
Once upon a time, four friends shared the forest. When an evil dictator threatened the peace and security of them all, one of the friends concluded that the bad man had to be driven out of the forest.

"Who will help me disarm and depose this dictator?" asked the American Eagle.

"Not I!" said the French Rooster.

"Not I!" said German Boar.

"Not I!" said Russian Bear.

So the Eagle moved its soldiers to the dictator's doorstep on her own.

All the animals gathered in a clearing to try to talk the dictator into doing the right thing before it was too late.

"We've given the dictator 12 years of warnings, and he has done nothing but lie to us, and evade his promises. We all have solid reasons to believe he has poison weapons, and will use them against us one day if he's not stopped," the Eagle said. "Who will help me hold him to account?"

The animals thought for a minute, and, agreeing with Little Bunny Foo-Foo, the secretary-general of the forest, they decided to give the evil dictator "just one more chance." They responded to the Eagle thus:

"Not I!" said the Rooster.

"Not I!" said the Boar.

"Not I!" said the Bear.

So the Eagle mustered the English bulldog and other helpers, waged war on the evil dictator and threw him out.

After the war, the Eagle and her friends then faced a difficult and dangerous job cleaning up the mess the dictator had made.

"Who will help me put this poor country back together again?" the Eagle said.

"Not I!" said the Rooster.

"Not I!" said the Boar.

"Not I!" said the Bear.

So the Eagle and her friends undertook to rebuild the poor country and help its people on their own. It cost them substantially in the lives of their children and the gold in their treasuries. The Eagle opened her money pouch and began looking to hire plumbers, carpenters and the like to assist the people of this unfortunate nation.

"Who will accept my gold to aid in rebuilding this nation?" said the Eagle.

"I will!" said the Rooster.

"I will!" said the Boar.

"I will!" said the Bear.

"Fuggedaboutit!" said the Eagle. "What kind of chump do you think I am?

"When I asked you to risk your blood and treasure to fight the evil dictator who threatened us all, you would not," the Eagle said. "When I asked you to send your own children and gold to help the dictator's nation recover from his misrule, you would not.

"When I most needed you, you weren't there for me. Go whine somewhere else."

And so, the French Rooster, the German Boar and the Russian Bear were left to ponder a most excellent lesson on the principle of risk and reward. And they learned that day that their friend the American Eagle, when her forest allies act like Chickens and Ostriches, is not afraid to be a hard Ass.

This one deserves to live on in an unlocked thread!

Thanks Sloww!!

[GhengisFarb™]

Yes, Sloww's fable is very good and to the point!

[SlowwHand]

Fables are more than stories for children.




Fair-Weather Friends: A Fable
12:01 AM CST on Thursday, December 11, 2003
By ROD DREHER / The Dallas Morning News

The Pentagon has barred French, German and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, saying it was acting to protect "the essential security interests of the United States."

***********
Once upon a time, four friends shared the forest. When an evil dictator threatened the peace and security of them all, one of the friends concluded that the bad man had to be driven out of the forest.

"Who will help me disarm and depose this dictator?" asked the American Eagle.

"Not I!" said the French Rooster.

"Not I!" said German Boar.

"Not I!" said Russian Bear.

So the Eagle moved its soldiers to the dictator's doorstep on her own.

All the animals gathered in a clearing to try to talk the dictator into doing the right thing before it was too late.

"We've given the dictator 12 years of warnings, and he has done nothing but lie to us, and evade his promises. We all have solid reasons to believe he has poison weapons, and will use them against us one day if he's not stopped," the Eagle said. "Who will help me hold him to account?"

The animals thought for a minute, and, agreeing with Little Bunny Foo-Foo, the secretary-general of the forest, they decided to give the evil dictator "just one more chance." They responded to the Eagle thus:

"Not I!" said the Rooster.

"Not I!" said the Boar.

"Not I!" said the Bear.

So the Eagle mustered the English bulldog and other helpers, waged war on the evil dictator and threw him out.

After the war, the Eagle and her friends then faced a difficult and dangerous job cleaning up the mess the dictator had made.

"Who will help me put this poor country back together again?" the Eagle said.

"Not I!" said the Rooster.

"Not I!" said the Boar.

"Not I!" said the Bear.

So the Eagle and her friends undertook to rebuild the poor country and help its people on their own. It cost them substantially in the lives of their children and the gold in their treasuries. The Eagle opened her money pouch and began looking to hire plumbers, carpenters and the like to assist the people of this unfortunate nation.

"Who will accept my gold to aid in rebuilding this nation?" said the Eagle.

"I will!" said the Rooster.

"I will!" said the Boar.

"I will!" said the Bear.

"Fuggedaboutit!" said the Eagle. "What kind of chump do you think I am?

"When I asked you to risk your blood and treasure to fight the evil dictator who threatened us all, you would not," the Eagle said. "When I asked you to send your own children and gold to help the dictator's nation recover from his misrule, you would not.

"When I most needed you, you weren't there for me. Go whine somewhere else."

And so, the French Rooster, the German Boar and the Russian Bear were left to ponder a most excellent lesson on the principle of risk and reward. And they learned that day that their friend the American Eagle, when her forest allies act like Chickens and Ostriches, is not afraid to be a hard Ass.

[Q Classic]

the story was nice, but not nice enough to warrant an encore presentation.

[MikeH]

So... the American Eagle spent 80 billion+ to win potential contracts (which it'll share with others) worth 18 billlion?

It's economic genius!!!

[MikeH]

Slowwhand, can I sell you some stocks? They cost $10,000 but you have the chance to get $2,000 back!!! WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY!!! DON'T MISS IT!!!

[dannubis]

Funny how rummy still expects the international community to "take it's responsiblilties" (i.e. pay up).

You brake it, you pay it, so the contracts go to your companies... AS LONG AS THE CONTRACTS ARE ISSUED BY YOUR GOVERNEMENT AND PAID BY YOUR TAXMONEY.

But are you willing to deny the iraqi's their freedom when they want another country to rebuild theirs ?

[MrFun]

English bulldog??

Whatever happened to the English lion??

[oedo]

yet another example of superb diplomacy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/11/in...st/11PREX.html

President Bush found himself in the awkward position on Wednesday of calling the leaders of France, Germany and Russia to ask them to forgive Iraq's debts, just a day after the Pentagon said it was excluding those countries and others from $18 billion in American-financed Iraqi reconstruction projects.
(...)

[Q Classic]

the bush administration could work on their delivery a bit. you ask them to forgive it first, then you hit them with the bad news.

[Harovan]

We shouldn't forgive the Iraqi debts. We rather should forgive Bush for being incredibly stupid.

[JCG]

Originally posted by oedo
yet another example of superb diplomacy:

Very funny indeed...

Unfortunately, if I were an Iraqi, I'd be crying....

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Gangerolf


is that what they're singing?

Yep

We shouldn't forgive the Iraqi debts. We rather should forgive Bush for being incredibly stupid.

No. We shouldn't. Nor should we forgive America as a whole for being incredibly stupid.

[MarkG]

So the Eagle moved its soldiers to the dictator's doorstep on her own.

her???

[Patroklos]

Alot of threads here focus on how selfish and greedy the Americans are and that those were the only motives in going to war. Then here you say that it makes horrible economic sence and that it was stupid because we won't make money (As if we didn't know this ahead of time).

So basically whatever we do we are wrong, and many on the boards has continuity from thread to thread. BTW, I have no problem with certian Allies not getting involved, but it that is your choice that is your choice. However your whining about not bieng included now, especially since you still don't want to help even after the main war is over, shows who is motivated by greed.

Carpetbaggers.

-Pat

[Nubclear]

So basically whatever we do we are wrong,

Well your not exactly trying to do much thats intelligent and right.
"Um...Your companies cant bid on Iraqi contracts because you didn't support the war and so we are gonna punish you. Oh by the way, can you forgive Iraqs debt for us?"

However your whining about not bieng included now, especially since you still don't want to help even after the main war is over, shows who is motivated by greed.

It's not so much not being able to bid than it is being hit in the face.
Luckily, Bush left nearly everything exposed and the Axis of Reason (i hope) will hit back swiftly and strongly.

[laurentius]

[DinoDoc]

You pissed about Finland being banned too?

[laurentius]

No, I'm just generally angry at Tassadar...

Well, ok that too

[MrFun]

How the hell are suppose to take an angry emoticon with a cute Santa cap seriously anyway?

[laurentius]

Hey I didnt put the santa caps on their heads!

Besides I kinda think them as the psycho-elf who snapped wrapping gifts to all the fat, unthankful kids around the world. So I guess the psycho-elf-emoticon reflects my feelings about the commercial christmas too

[MrFun]

I'm surprised we don't have a Rudolph smilie that has a red nose, with antlers.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by laurentius
No, I'm just generally angry at Tassadar...

No hanabi? (Hanada! )

[Imran Siddiqui]

Including any US debts from prior to the first Gulf War

Actually, I believe that the US will probably forgive all its debts that Iraq owes (hey, it's what we did after WW2).

yet another example of superb diplomacy:

Well yeah... carrot and the stick. You think he's just saying forgive the debt, but you can't the contracts? Geez... he's saying if you forgive the debt, we'll let you bid.

[Harovan]

That would be a terribly bad deal, wouldn't it?