Letter: U.S. needs to rebuild America before Iraq

Friday, Sept. 12, 2003 | 6:10 a.m.

After hearing President Bush's Sept. 7 speech, and hearing him say we need to invest $87 billion for the rebuilding of Iraq, I am left wondering where we will find the money.

We have record deficits, we have record unemployment, we have record uninsured. The economists say that by 2004 we will be in really bad shape. I ask, why is it that we cannot first get our own house in order?

Iraq has the second-largest oil reserve in the world. We have already doled out contract bids on the refining of this oil. Wouldn't it be a prudent move on our part to use the profits from the sale of that oil to let Iraq help Iraq? What a concept that would be. We here in the United States like to help other nations -- but those are normally poorer nations. Iraq does not fit this category.

I believe that the Iraqi people are a proud people and would like to help themselves. The Iraqi people know that they have a rich land and that they will be able to afford to rebuild with our guidance if they so desire.

I feel that this is the correct road to take. Let's start rebuilding here. Let's get "America the Beautiful" back.

RAY AQUILA