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During a press conference today on Capitol Hill, Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE), Evan Bayh (D-IN), and Susan Collins (R-ME) called on the Administration and Senate leaders to adopt policy that would require the Iraqi government to direct a portion of its massive oil revenues to help pay its reconstruction and stabilization costs. Additionally, the Senators are working on legislation that would require many of these costs to be provided to the Iraqis in the form of a loan, to be repaid to the American taxpayer.
In letters to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and to Senate Leaders, the Senators wrote, "The time has come to end this blank check policy and require the Iraqis to invest in their own future. We believe that it is time for Iraq to take greater responsibility for the costs of its reconstruction and stabilization. We are pleased that the Administration agrees and that certain steps are underway to require Iraq to pay some of the war and reconstruction costs."
Senator Nelson further said, "With Iraq’s projected budget surplus estimated at $60 billion and the United States grappling with an ever-growing debt and spiraling deficits, we must look for solutions to end Iraq’s cycle of dependence on American taxpayers. Iraq must take more responsibility for its own future by shouldering more of the costs for reconstruction and security. The era of the Administration’s blank check policy for Iraq must come to an end."
Senator Bayh said, "It's time to stop payment on this blank check to Baghdad. The Iraqi government should be required to spend every penny of Iraqi oil profits before the American people are asked for another red cent to rebuild Iraq. We cannot continue to spend billions of our own money on reconstruction while the Iraqi government sits on surpluses."
Senator Collins said, "There is simply no reason for the U.S. to continue paying for things such as the cost of the salaries for the Sons of Iraq, for the training and equipping of the Iraqi Security Forces, and for covering the cost of the fuel we use in Iraq given this boon in oil revenue. I believe that our reconstruction assistance should be provided to the Iraqi people in the form of a loan, to be repaid in the future to the American taxpayer."
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