Poe blasts Iraq for refusing to help pay for war costs

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) on Wednesday sharply criticized Iraq's refusal to help pay for the ongoing costs of U.S. military occupation in that country with oil revenues.

Speaking on the House floor, Poe said he raised this question with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during his visit to Iraq last week, but was rejected.

"The war has cost billions [of dollars] and thousands of American lives," Poe said. "Since we are building Iraq, and have given them a free democracy, it seems only right that Iraq at least consider paying for part of the cost with future oil revenues.

"I was surprised that Prime Minister Maliki reacted with an emphatic 'no way' to sharing the costs," he continued. "Even Kuwait helped reimburse the coalition nations when Saddam was driven from their lands. But not Iraq. They will not hear of it."

The visit by Poe and other members of Congress featured more than one uncomfortable moment. During the trip, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) pressed al-Maliki about the death of 35 Iranian dissidents, after which Rohrabacher said the delegation was asked to leave the country.

Poe also noted that Iraq did not allow the group to visit the camp where the killings took place.