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10/24/2003 Archived Entry: "Iraq pledges top $14 billion"

ARAB NATIONS SHAFT IRAQ: Interesting thing about the donors list of aid to Iraq. The evil crusading nations of the West are fronting serious cash while the hyper-rich nations of the Middle East are throwing what appears to be what they found in the couch.

The U.S. has announced $20 billion, the U.K. $496 million, Spain $300 million, Japan $5 billion, the EU $1.7 billion, Canada $225 million, Italy $236 million.

In contrast Saudi Arabia offered $1 billion (in loans), United Arab Emirates $215 million, Qatar $100 million and Kuwait -- who to their credit didn't have to throw anything into the kitty -- an extra $500 million in aid on top of $1 billion already spent.

As the Arabs have done with the Palestinians, so to are they doing with Iraq. It's in their interest to have a weakened Iraq because they can use it as a propoganda tool. The Arab world could rebuild Iraq itself within a decade (and could have solved the Palestinian 'problem' decades ago) but that would only strengthen America's pro-democracy arguments. Memo to Mahathir Mohammed: It isn't the Jews keeping the Muslim world down, it's men like you who prefer to blame everyone else. Where's your cheque?

Then again, with Saudi Arabia's support for fascist Islamists, perhaps we don't want their help.

Read a news story here, the complete donors list here.