Cut the cord, already

However misguided our adventure in Iraq has been, it did give the Iraqis a chance, if they choose to take it, to build a better life for themselves. To do so means putting aside sectarian differences and working together to parlay the country's natural resource wealth into infrastructure to support a stable society.

Five years after the fall of Saddam, it's not certain they're interested in the latter:

Soaring oil prices will leave the Iraqi government with a cumulative budget surplus of as much as $79 billion by year’s end, according to an American federal oversight agency. But Iraq has spent only a minute fraction of that on reconstruction costs, which are now largely borne by the United States.

In one comparison, the United States has spent $23.2 billion in the critical areas of security, oil, electricity and water since the 2003 invasion, the report said. But from 2005 through April 2008, Iraq has spent just $3.9 billion on similar services.

The figures could be used to argue that because the Iraqi ministries still do not have the capacity to spend their own money, further assistance from the United States is called for, Ms. Alexander said. Or the huge oil revenues could be seen as proof that Iraq has the resources to solve its own problems if it would only use the money. ((you think? -- Jemison))

We still have over 100,000 troops there because the Iraqis took so long to build any capacity to defend themselves. Does this mean we will continue to fully subsidize their nation until they finally figure out how to spend money (other than to squirrel it away in slush funds)?

It's time to cut the umbilical cord, remove the training wheels... whatever metaphor you want to use. One good thing about this story: for those who believe our occupation is solely a cynical attempt at imperial enrichment, the net direction of cash flow should put that to rest. For all we throw our weight around like an imperial power, we're obviously not good at it. Individuals may profiteer, but certainly this little venture doesn't further enhance our nation's stature. Which means we need to get out of anything that smacks of that line of work. Bring the troops home. Bring the dollars home. Now.