U.S. Judge Halts Spending of Frozen Iraqi Assets

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

A federal judge temporarily froze on Friday the distribution of seized Iraqi assets the Bush administration is using for postwar rebuilding, a plaintiff's lawyer said.

U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts put a 10-day hold on the balance of $1.7 billion in funds the White House earmarked in March for Iraqi infrastructure and economic development projects.

Earlier this month, Roberts awarded nearly $1 billion in damages to 17 former prisoners of war from the 1991 Gulf War and their families who sued the Iraqi government for pain and suffering.

An administration spokeswoman had no comment on the ruling in the District of Columbia court.

But Steve Fennell, an attorney for the former POWs, confirmed in a statement that Roberts had issued a temporary restraining order and said the government has spent nearly $700 million of the $1.7 billion. ---
Banish bush From Texas Too

[I AM SPARTACUS]

1. Smirko's hand in the cookie jar, handing out treats to Halliburton...

thankfully there's still a judge or two who possess spines...

[Dhalgren]

2. My god!

$700 million in just a couple of months?! Someone should have to give a detailed accounting of this. These funds did not and do not belong to the US. If we are disbursing these funds "for the Iraqi citizens", there should be proof of this and it must be shown.

[acmavm]

3. Would this not entail breaking a law or two? You can't just help yourself

to someone elses money you know.

[NYC]

4. This is a shady way of giving money to Bechtel & Halliburton.

I'm glad the judge stopped it. There needs to be a full accounting of how the money was spent. That money should belong to the legitimate government of Iraq.