Just heard a report where Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was whining about how Iraq needs to pay for..

[Postman]

the reconstruction of their country.

I don't know how to respond to that. My first inclination is to give an analogy such as this....

What if the US had been subject to crushing economic sanctions for 10 years and then invaded, tortured, raped and pillaged...in the process infrastructure destroyed, refugees roaming the country, racial segregation with blast walls, privatization of all services, police disbanded, electrical services cut, water filtration systems inoperative....

And then the occupying country unable to tie its own shoes due to incompetency, demands that the US pay for its own reconstruction by the sale of its most abundant commodity, let's say it's corn,...but all the farms are now owned, in part or in whole, by the corporate farm companies from the invading and occupying country....

Gee, I wonder why they don't want us there...but we insist on "helping" them because there may be chaos if we leave.........yeah, hello.

[orangerevolution]

1. The UN was helping during those 10 years.

Where does that fit in?

[Postman]

2. The UN can only be as effective as its members allow it to be.

n/t

[orangerevolution]

4. Was there not money or aid being sent to Iraq

by the UN during that time period? You stated crushing sanctions, but the UN was trying to help.

[Postman]

6. I would describe the death of at least 500,000 children

as a result of economic sanctions "crushing"....

I don't know what you would call it.

[usaftmo]

11. As long as morons have control over there,

a lot of suffering and death will take place. That especially goes for the Kurds who are treated like third-class citizens.

I feel for the Iraqis. However attacking them 5 years ago was a huge mistake, and is sucking us dry financially. Things haven't gotten better over there; only worse.

Parts of the U.S. are in equally bad shape, and I'd help them before I lift a finger/voluntarily pay a dime to help the Iraqis.

[orangerevolution]

13. The UN aid

was meant to help the children in part. That being the case, then there should not have been the death of 500,000 children. I would be interested to know where you got the 500k number given the amount of aid the UN was supplying. Also, with aid going to help children, why were there so many deaths? If the aid had not been supplied, there might have been more. Which is the greater tragedy?

[Postman]

18. The number came from the UN. And there is a 60 minutes clip of Madeline Albright

commenting on how she "thought the price was worth it" (500,000 iraqi children dieing as a result of the sanctions)

Here's a link for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK_QshS2EW8

[acmavm]

8. A half-assed attempt at aid, regardless of how well intentioned,

is still a half-assed attempt.

People died because of those sanctions. The economy suffered because of those sanctions. The country of Iraq suffered because of those sanctions.

[orangerevolution]

14. Then we have the World to blame

As it was the members of the UN that imposed the sanctions. I for one do not agree with that position. The UN is a body for the good of the world.

[Richard Steele]

12. What does that have to do with the topic of this thread?

[orangerevolution]

15. 2nd paragraph of OP n/t

[Richard Steele]

17. That 2nd paragraph is not the "topic" of the OP, now is it?

nm

[Bandit]

3. Do you think the Iraqi people are happier now ?

Is the oldest nation on earth suddenly unable to run their country without the youngest nation telling how it will be done? Only America can be their guide I guess...They are just too ignorant and unable to manage their country I guess...I truly wonder how such ignorant people managed to get by for five thousand years longer than the USA was even in existance..:shrug: Only American arrogance would presume we know better...

[orangerevolution]

5. I am sorry, how long has Iraq been a nation?

5000 years? I thought Iraq as a country came into existance after WW II? Maybe I missed something, do you have a link?

[bean fidhleir]

7. Has Schumer ever done ANYTHING good for regular working people?

I can't think of anything.

Yet I remember there were plenty of so-called Democrats practically having an orgasm when he was elected.

Now there are plenty of so-called Democrats having orgasms over other people with shitty records. Some people never learn, I guess.

[Historic NY]

9. I'm still waiting for the Iraqi oil to pay for something.........n/t

[NNN0LHI]

10. Schumer is an idiot

Nothing will make Iraqis want to kill Americans more than by forcing them to pay the reparations that we owe to them for illegally invading and occupying their country.

Don

[Preston120]

16. I agree. What happened to you broke it, You fix it.