Astonishment for allocating US 6 billion dollars to Iraq next year – economist

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi economic analysis expressed astonishment with the U.S.allocation of 6 billion dollars for projects in Iraq during the coming year, despite the fact that the U.S.forces will be withdrawing from the country. Expert Hilal al-Tahan told IraqiNews.com that “there are doubt on these allocations, but if the funds given to the Iraqi government, that will be good action, otherwise the 2003 financial expenditures will be repeated”. “We had bitter experience during previous years when they declared allocating 55 billion dollars for the reconstruction of the country.If this figure is right, it will be bigger that the funds allocated to reconstruct Europe after World War II”, he commented. Tahan added that the money were spent with financial corruption agreements, pointing out Iraqi government statements that 10 billion dollars were lost during US Civil Administrator Paul Bremer. The U.S.Embassy announced last Sunday that its government will spend 6 billion dollars in Iraq during the coming year for immigrants and security programs. RM (TI)/SR 173