The price tag for Bush's destruction of Fallujah begins to be known.
Doesn't sound like much damage at all.
UN: Fallujah cost nears $500 million
Doesn't sound like much damage at all.
UN: Fallujah cost nears $500 million
By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Published March 14, 2005
WASHINGTON -- The U.S.-led November assault on Fallujah and ensuing battle caused $493 million in damage to private homes, according to a new United Nations report.
The Iraqi government has promised $103 million for the rebuilding of Fallujah. The United States has also promised around $100 million.
According to the U.N. report, the newly elected Iraqi government will be responsible for determining how much more Fallujah will get.
The Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals tallied the damage. U.S. military officials last year estimated only about 250 residences were destroyed by U.S action, but they noted other structures were damaged or destroyed by insurgents -- with some houses rigged to explode if they were entered by U.S. personnel. Still others were packed with ammunition and weapons that were ignited by air strikes.
According to the United Nations, nearly 60,000 families were displaced from Fallujah when the three-week battle to oust an entrenched insurgency began in November. Most families remain displaced as housing, sewage and electricity has not yet been fully restored.