Bush, “Only Countries which Dispatched Troops Can Rehabilitate Iraq”

U.S. President George W. Bush made clear on Thursday (local time) that countries which dispatched their troops to Iraq are qualified to take part in the $18.6 billion (about 22 trillion won) American-financed Iraqi reconstruction projects.

Mr. Bush, after a state council meeting in the White House, said, “The logic is very simple. In spending taxpayers’ money, Americans think it is reasonable for nations which risked their lives to participate in bidding.”

He also said, “People of the U.S. risked their lives in Iraq and so did the people of our allied nations,” and “Bidding for rebuilding Iraq will reflect this.”

His statement reconfirms an announcement by the Department of Defense on Tuesday that the U.S. will exclude business from countries against the Iraqi war such as France, Germany, Russia, and Canada.

maypole@donga.com