Thursday, December 18, 2003
Stick to Making Chocolates; There's No Reconstruction Work for You
The U.S. government is preparing to award $18 billion in contracts to help rebuild Iraq. But there's a catch. Companies based in countries that did not support U.S. liberation efforts - namely Russia, France and Germany - have been barred from bidding.Horace Cooper, a member of The National Center's African-American leadership network Project 21, represents many other members in pointing out that this is not discriminatory, but rather a legitimate choice that honors those who risked their lives so that others may now be free:
"This is a sound and commonsense policy. It's very balanced and considered. It respects the American taxpayer, the American troops and their coalition partners while leaving an opening for others to play a role in rebuilding Iraq."
"These are American tax dollars we're talking about; our government, just like the governments of every country has always had the right to make the decisions for themselves how their resources will be expended. America and the coalition of the willing have spent blood and treasure to liberate Iraq, and will likely spend much more before we're finished. While no country has done as much as ours, only a few countries actively opposed us. Neither France, Germany - or any of the other countries where fine chocolates are made - have been billed for the cost of peace and security in Iraq, yet they benefit from our efforts."
"President Bush is to be commended for acknowledging that Americans and her allies in Iraq have worked to make the world more free and more secure."
Posted by Amy Ridenour at 2:29 PM
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