Could we have spent $1b in Iraq instead of $1t?

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article3010189.ece


"A transcript of an eve-of-war conversation between President George
Bush and former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has revealed a
previously undisclosed initiative to avert war in Iraq by spiriting
Saddam Hussein out of the country.

""Yes, it's possible," Mr Bush told the Spanish leader. "The Egyptians
are talking to Saddam Hussein ... He seems to have indicated he would
be open to exile if they would let him take one billion dollars and
all the information he wants on weapons of mass destruction.""

Thanks to "Guillermo el Gato" for this. Comments on his post can be found at
AFCA

also found at
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=15&entry_id=20648

My first thought is that there's been a lot of inflation since "millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute".