$86 billion divided by 23 million can buy peace in Iraq

[SoCalDemocrat]

Of course we've dumped far more than $86 billion into Iraq by now. But what if Bush had just taken that $86 billion and handed it out to every Iraqi man, woman, and child? $3739.00 per person?

What does the average Iraqi earn annually?

Fortunately, Iraq has significant oil resources, which can be used to benefit all Iraqis. Currently, Iraq's per capita gross domestic product is $2,500. Under the prior government, average individual annual income was estimated to be less than $60 (US).

WHOA THAR!

$60 bucks? I spend more than that drinking on a Saturday night out!

Based on some simple math, I calcuate with the massive money Bush dumped into "reconstruction efforts" we could of employed every man, woman, and child in Iraq for 62 years.

Heck. Why be dumb about it? What if we put that $86 billion into an interest bearing account and just paid the Iraqi's out of the interest? Could we then afford peace? Say we earn a meager 5%, an investment not even worthy of Halliburton's time.

That comes out to 4.3 BILLION dollars. Divide that by 23 million people and we get... $186.95. Call it $186. That leaves about $22 million for administration costs. I think we have it covered.

So Mr. Bush could of raised the standard of living of every Iraqi by 300%, and employ everyone in the country? 100% employment!

I doubt there would be many insurgents if we were paying them all 3x the average national wage!

What was this war about again? Oh right, making a few insider corporations wealthy on the backs of the American taxpayers. How many BILLION did Halliburton milk us for just by themselves? I really like the deal they got. They are buying oil in Kuwait and are selling that same OIL back to Iraq, at a huge markup no less! Now that's a sweet ponzi scheme.


Planners across the Bush administration have developed stacks of proposals for postwar relief and reconstruction in Iraq, a beleaguered country of 23 million people fractured along ethnic and religious lines.

[mike_c]

1. brilliant....

Bookmarked!

[girl gone mad]

2. Good work.

Right now, instead of hiring Iraqis, we're paying Haliburton employees not to work and then paying US soldiers significantly less to do the work Halburton employees can't or won't.

[SoCalDemocrat]

3. Anyone have data

Does anyone have data on what we're paying U.S. contractors to work and be killed in Iraq?