Iraq -- U.S. Using Cash as a Defensive Weapon - Soldiers Handing Out Money

Monday, July 26, 2004 at 07:07PM
TheSpook

Cash has become the U.S. military's first line of defense in some parts of Iraq, where U.S. soldiers are distributing money to encourage goodwill and to counter their enemies' offers of money to unemployed Iraqis willing to attack Americans, according to officers here. Even patrol leaders now carry envelopes of cash to spend in their areas. The money comes from brigade commanders, who get as much as $50,000 to $100,000 a month to distribute for local rehabilitation and emergency welfare projects through the Commanders Emergency Response Program. There are few restrictions on the expenditures, and officers acknowledge they consider the money another weapon. [more]

Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).