U.S. snubs Canada on Iraq

Canoe.com/Calgary Sun ^ | 12-10-03 | BOB KLAGER

[veronica]

$18 billion in spoils of war contracts will be awarded to supportive nations

OTTAWA -- The United States has excluded Canada from a list of countries eligible to bid on more than $18 billion in postwar reconstruction projects in Iraq.

The Yanks cited the protection of "essential security interests" by limiting contracts to nations supportive of U.S.-led operations in the region.

Tenders for some 26 Iraqi relief and reconstruction contracts worth $18.6 billion were expected to be formalized and posted as soon as late last night by the Coalition Provisional Authority, a rebuilding program spearheaded by the American government.

But according to a policy directive issued by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, the Pentagon believes that "coalition partners share in the U.S. vision of a free and stable Iraq," and that limiting sources to prime contractors from those countries "should encourage the continued co-operation" of coalition members.

"It is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States to limit competition for the prime contracts of these procurements to companies from the United States, Iraq, coalition partners and force contributing nations," Wolfowitz states in the brief dated Dec. 5. "Thus, it is clearly in the public interest to limit prime contracts to companies from these countries."

Calgary-based ATCO Ltd. sent a high-level manager to the Mideast in hopes of procuring rebuilding contracts but a company official declined comment on the news yesterday.

The 63-nation list includes Britain and Australia, both strong U.S. allies in Iraq, but also lesser-known coalition supporters, such as Estonia, Micronesia, Palau and Tonga.

Notably absent from the list are France, Germany and Russia, which led opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and refused in October to contribute to a conference in Madrid aimed at raising international funds for reconstruction of war-torn Iraq.

The Canadian government has committed more than $300 million in post-war humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, and announced at that conference it would provide $100 million to the new fund.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham wasn't available for comment last night. However, Jayson Myers, chief economist with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, said the U.S. snub could mean as much as $5 billion lost in potential contracts for Canadian firms.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Treachery has consequences.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

OTTAWA -- The United States has excluded Canada from a list of countries eligible to bid on more than $18 billion in postwar reconstruction projects in Iraq.

The Canadian government has committed more than $300 million in post-war humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, and announced at that conference it would provide $100 million to the new fund.

Something is missing in this article.

[FRgal4u]

Do the Canadians really think they will get 5 Billion dollars worth of contract out of the 18.9 Billion dollars total reconstruction dollars?

I am just darn glad we cut these freeloaders off the list, either you are with us or aainst us, period.

[Gorzaloon]

the U.S. snub could mean as much as $5 billion lost in potential contracts for Canadian firms.

"Americans-I hate those bastards!"

Remember?

[Diogenesis]

Canada is deep deep in bed with terrorists.

[prairiebreeze]

Another country that's surprised because they aren't being allowed to eat the bread when they didn't help bake the bread.

Prairie

[mtbopfuyn]

I quit reading after being called a Yank. Yo, Canada, Yankees live in only a small area of the country. That's sloppy journalism which causes the remainder of your article suspect.

[sd-joe]

>> "$18 billion in spoils of war contracts" <<

Very biased termonology. "Spoils of war" implies that the money is being taken from Iraq or from Iraq's resources. In actual fact, this is money provided by the US taxpayer to rebuild Iraq.

[Ichneumon]

I quit reading after being called a Yank. Yo, Canada, Yankees live in only a small area of the country. That's sloppy journalism which causes the remainder of your article suspect.

Actually, the "correct" definition pretty much depends on where you are:

Yan-kee (yang'kee) n.

1. a native or inhabitant of the United States.
2. a native or inhabitant of New England.
3. a native or inhabitant of a Northern state.
4. a Federal soldier in the Civil War.

(From Random-House Webster's College Edition)

[Spell Correctly]

Against

[Spell Correctly]

Terminology.

[cynicom]

Boo Hoo..The free loading Canucks can wrap themselves up in their pious little socialist caccoon and cry themselves to sleep.

[VOA]

Hey Canada, "You Cannot Win, If You Do Not Play"

[bray]

Don't Kerry with President George W Bush!

Pray for W and The Election

[sd-joe]

Right. Thanks. Tried to use the FR spell checker, and still messed it up.

[MissAmericanPie]

I wish that Bush would follow through on his threat to get out of the U.N. and establish another body with our allies.
He is so on the right track in International matters. Other than the FTA treaty which can do untold damage to the USofA.

[OldPossum]

I cannot help myself. I am delighted at this news. I feel the same way about the French and Germans (especially them) being excluded.

Would a President Gore have done this? Not a chance.

[Broadside Joe]

Let me see here, a total of $18 billion in postwar reconstruction projects and we already sent 22 billion in reconstruction funds there? What are they whining about?

[headsonpikes]

HOP's fearless prediction:

ATCO's white and yellow trailers will find their way to Iraq. You can't go anywhere in the GD world without seeing them.

I speak as someone who spent many years using ATCO trailers as site-shacks and bunkhouses - everytime I see one, I think of mosquitoes and -40.

Life goes on, or, 'c'est la vie', as us Canuckleheads say.