Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (Fall 2002):

“If you [worry about just] the cost, the money, Iraq is a very different situation from Afghanistan…Iraq has oil. They have financial resources.”

Paul Wolfowitz at a Hearing of the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, (3/27/03):

“There’s a lot of money to pay for this that doesn’t have to be U.S. taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people…and on a rough recollection, the oil revenues of that country could bring between $50 and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years…We’re dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.”

Iraqi Oil Minister Resigns Amidst Protests

Iraq’s exports of oil hit their lowest level in December since the war, as the country’s oil minister resigned Monday [1/1/06] in the wake of protests and riots over soaring gas prices and lengthening lines at the pump.

Only 34.4 million barrels were exported in December, or about 1.1 million barrels per day — the lowest average since Iraq resumed exports after the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003

At least we’re making progress with our 2,238 lives lost, 17,000 wounded in action, $237 billion in war costs, and $18.4 billion in reconstruction funds.