June 13, 2008

The costs on American taxpayers may reach $2.7 trillion by the time the Iraq war ends, according to a Congressional testimony.

In a hearing held by the Joint Economic Committee Thursday, members of the Congress heard testimony about the current costs of the war and the future economic fallout from returning soldiers.

At the beginning of the conflict in 2003, the Bush administration gave Congress a cost estimate of $60 billion to $100 billion for the entirety of the war. However, the battle has been dragging on much longer than most in the government expected.

William Beach, director of the Center for Data Analysis, told the Congress that the Iraq war has already cost taxpayers $646 billion.

That’s only accounting for five years, and with the conflict expected to drag on for another five years, the figure is expected to more than quadruple, Beach added.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said the war costs taxpayers about $430 million per day.

"It is long past time for the administration to come clean and account for the real costs of the war in Iraq," said Schumer. "If they want to disagree with our estimates or with other experts ... fine - they should come and explain why."

The Bush administration, which was invited to give testimony, declined to participate.

The Pentagon has previously said that the war costs approximately $9.5 billion a month, but some economists say the figure is closer to $25 billion a month when long-term health care for veterans and interest are factored in.

Iraqi PM suggests US might be asked to leave

Raw Story
June 13, 2008

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki suggested that US forces might be asked to leave if the two countries cannot agree on the new status of forces agreement, McClatchy reported Friday.

Maliki, seen above, made the comment after pressure from Shiite lawmakers who feel that Iraq’s sovereignty is threatened by US forces and after talks over the status of forces agreement “reached an impasse,” according to McClatchy.

The Iraqis rejected those demands, and U.S. diplomats have submitted a second draft, which Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih told McClatchy included several major concessions. Among those would be allowing Iraq to prosecute private contractors for violations of Iraqi law and requiring U.S. forces to turn over to Iraqi authorities Iraqis that the Americans detain.”

As the Turkish Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of invading Northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshiyar Zebari has appealed to the Kurdish separatist fighters to "leave Iraqi soil and leave Iraq for its people and do not bring us more problems than we're already suffering." According to this Al Jazeera news, dated October 18, "Iraq asks PKK fighters to leave", it reported that the Iraq's Kurdish administration has called for direct negotiations with Ankara as Iraqi Kurds protested against the possible Turkish military invasion.

The protestors, congregating in the regional capital of Arbil and the border town of Dohuk, were seen holding the Kurdistan red, white and green flag; and placards with words, " We condemn the Turkish threat".

In another interview by Al Jazeera, Hoda Abdel-Hamid interviews PKK leader, Murat Karayilan who said, "Its not true that we are crossing the border. We have fighters everywhere, even on the border, its not necessary to send any from here. How can we send them from here to the Black sea its too far. They are not telling the truth, Turkey's aim is to attack Iraqi Kurds."

He also implied that the attack is related to the bill on the Armenian genocide; and since the head of state in Iraq is a Kurd, Turkey does not want to recognise him. He said, "They have a problem with Kurds."

With an imminent attack from the Turkish military, more violence is expected. Murat Karayilan reiterated that they will respond "if Turkey is going to use violence against our movement, our leader and our people"

Turkey has conducted two military invasions against Iraq in 1995 and 1997. In 2003, the government approved military action twice though it did not act on it. The 331 kilometres demarcation between the Turkey and Iraqi border is also unclear except for a narrow river linked to Syria. There are heavy military facilities on the Turkey border while the Iraqi police are few in numbers and possess old and outdated weapons.