51st State

It's not personal, it's only business
--The Godfather III, (1990)

When a war between nations is lost
The loser we know pays the cost
--Now That the Buffalo's Gone,
Buffy Ste-Marie
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Some congressmen are considering floating a law which would require Iraq to contribute its windfall oil profits to finance their country's rebuilding (Democrats, Republicans Coming to Agreement: .) At first blush this sounds reasonable, but then not.

[1] Iraq did not request nor concur in the unilateral decision that opened their sovereign nation to the pillaging Armies of the Great Coalition of the Willing. Since they had no input, why should they provide output? Did they sign onto a pre-invasion finance plan? 90-days, same-as-oil?

[2] How can the U.S. Congress pass a law that commits the sovereign nation of Iraq to a financial course of action? U.S. Federal laws bind our citizens and states, but they cannot control the actions of other countries.

What will Congress do if the Iraqis won't pony up. Will we invade them to collect the cash and fuck up their country?

It seems that Congress views Iraq as the 51st State. Not.