Iraq needed some convincing to buy American rice

They were buying rice from Brazil and Thailand and paying much more. How can they do it? After all USA did a lot to Iraq.

Quote:

Given that U.S. taxpayers have a significant investment in Iraq, I would hope the government there, from the Prime Minister on down, understands how important it is for American rice farmers to be fairly considered to win this business.

For example

Quote:

Some notable features of U.S. taxpayers’ “investment” in Iraq in the early years of this century: Trillions of dollars spent on the Bush Administration’s 2003 invasion, subsequent war and occupation. Hundreds of billions, perhaps trillions to be spent far into the future to pay for interest on the funds borrowed to pay for the Iraqi foray, plus the health care costs of U.S. soldiers. Regime change, societal collapse and possibly three quarters of a million Iraqis dead. A nation now, eleven years later, being ripped apart by continuing warfare with the Islamic State group. Reuters reports that the Iraqi army doesn’t anticipate even the ability to begin a counter-offensive to dislodge the group from areas it controls until late in 2015.

Quote:

The press release announced an Iraqi agreement to purchase 120,000 tons of U.S. rice, after a series of meetings between U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Stuart Jones, and Iraqi trade and agricultural ministers.

Wonder how the negotiation went? Buy our rice or we will give more weapons to ISIS?



Originally appeared in here and it was re posted in GR.

Iraq needed some convincing to buy American rice