The Hindu : Iraqi reconstruction, a headache for Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 13, 2003

International

International

Iraqi reconstruction, a headache for Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington Aug. 12. There is a new aspect of the mess in Iraq that has started to attract attention in the media and one that promises to be a major headache for the Republican administration — the price of not only keeping the war going but the mounting cost of reconstruction.

The Bush administration is trying to make the case that the total cost over a three-year period would be $100 billions; but private estimates put that figure at $600 billions and over a 10-year period. And with an administration clearly unwilling to play the game straight with Congress on grounds that the situation in Iraq is still "fluid", lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — are furious.

Here is a sampling of the various figures that have been put out: for the first nine months this year, it has been estimated by the Pentagon Budget Office that military activities in Iraq is expected to total some $58 billions; officials at the Pentagon have said on different occasions that it is costing close to $4 billions on a monthly basis (and with Afghanistan taken into account, that figure climbs to $5 billions); and the Congressional Budget Office has projected that American military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and other terrorism-related operations will come close to $60 billions next year. And in all these estimates, the reconstruction of a devastated country is not included and the price tag for this is anyone's guess.

The closest to the administration's thinking came from its top civilian official in Baghdad, L. Paul Bremer, who noted last week that getting Iraq "up and running again" could cost $100 billions over three years.

"It's probably well above $50 billions, $60 billions, maybe $100 billions. It's a lot of money", Mr. Bremer said in an interview. In fact, the top official in occupied Iraq said that setting right the electrical grid and repairing the water system alone would cost about $30 billions.

The refrain of administration officials when they have come before Congressional panels or in talking to the media is that there are a number of things unknown in Iraq and that cannot be projected.

And they have talked about things like possible contributions from allies and the revenues that are going to be realised from Iraqi oil sales when once this comes back to the pre-war levels.

But what lawmakers, especially the Republicans, are worried about is that the White House will be coming to Congress soon with an appropriations request for $50 billions for next year; and this would set the stage for the political fight.

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