I really don't understand the cowardice of our elected officials.  As a
former bully, I know that a three dollar ice pick and a five minute audience
with any foreign representative are all that are required to convince them
to pay the U.S. to use any thing at their disposal.


-----Original Message-----
From: Wirt Atmar [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 11:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: We're just haggling over the price


Yosef writes:

> Turkey, one of the members of "The Coalition of the Willing," has
> refused an  offer of 26 billion dollars to let the US use their
> country to launch an  attack on Iraq.

Turkey hasn't yet completely refused, they just want more money. Their last
bid was for 32 billion dollars. Colin Powell reportedly told Turkey just
yesterday that 26 billion was as much as the US was prepared to pay them in
order for them to be a "willing partner."

In the 1991 Gulf War, the level of world-wide assistance was such that the
US made a profit. The single greatest expense for the war was the cost of
fuel, which the Saudis provided for free in 1991. This time, they're
charging slightly higher than market rates -- and asking that after the
coming war, all US forces leave the country. And no country this time is
providing any significant support, other than Kuwait and Qatar, in contrast
to the significant levels of aid that most of Europe and Japan provided
earlier.

The "Coalition of the Willing" in 2003 is made up primarily of such bulwarks
of freedom and democracy as Romania and Bulgaria and some of the former
republics of Yugoslavia. On the other hand, "willing partners" Estonia,
Latavia and Lithuiania are providing such valuable assistance as the use of
their airspace, should the battle move northward, toward the Baltic.

To the best of my knowledge, the payments to these countries have not yet
been disclosed, but I'm sure that they will be soon. In the meantime, it
appears that entire cost for this elective war will be picked up by the
American taxpayer. Record deficits, a faltering economy and world-wide
popular opposition are not the stuff that deters a "real leader."

Wirt Atmar

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