[plschwartz]

WASHINGTON - With lights recently blacked out in the Mid-Atlantic region and wetlands conservation being squeezed, President Bush wants to spend nearly $5.7 billion on Iraq's electricity system and up to $100 million next year to restore that nation's drained marshlands.

[ComputerFix]

PL,

Seems there are three questions? US grid, Iraqi grid, US drained marshlands.....

To answer the poll, since we are already "in the hole", may as well pay to fix them both at the same time. Ours seems to just be flawed (it does actually work) and the Iraqis certainly need something, a blackout here and there would be an upgrade!

[columbo]

Don't forget that Ontario was affected too PL!

I think that the American and Canadian governments should shoulder the cost to upgrade or fix or do whatever to the current NE electrical grid.

Hopefully the UN will stop playing games and get involved with restoring Iraqi resources, although at this point, it seems unclear as to whether it's the U.S. that is being unreasonable or the UN (or both).

Either way, some of the $$$ from that sweet, delicious Iraqi crude should be able to pay for infrastructure/natural resource reconstruction and repair. And yes, the contracts for repair/restoration of Iraq should be open to all bidders (to get the cheapest, most effective service available), regardless of the nationality of the bidding company.

[Paquadez]

PLS

Saddam probably blew it, when his torturers plugged far too many prisoners in!

Paq