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OPINION

Universal Health Care: We Already Gave it to Iraq

Constitution America fought to give Iraq guarantees its citizens health care

By Rob Quinn| Posted Sep 10, 09 6:40 AM CDT|

(Newser) – Many US lawmakers opposing health care reform need to be asked why it's OK for Iraqis but not Americans, Mark Dorlester writes for the Huffington Post. Article 31 of the Iraqi Constitution—made possible by the war, and hailed as a victory by the Bush administration—guarantees every Iraqi state-funded health care, a provision Dorlester thinks would be slammed as out-of-control socialism by right-wingers if it applied to Americans.

Operation Enduring Freedom has cost America $864 billion so far, most of that in Iraq, Dorlester notes, a fortune that could easily have guaranteed sufficient health care here. If your local House rep or senator voted to put funds toward the Iraq war but opposes providing health care as a civil right to Americans, Dorlester writes, "you might consider less hypocritical representation."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

A doctor briefs Iraqis about swine flu and how to prevent its spread at a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq last month. (AP Photo /Adil al-Khazali)

An Iraqi doctor who returned from exile in Jordan last month examines MRI scans with a colleague at a hospital in the Tunis area of northern Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Every citizen has the right to health care. The State shall maintain public health and provide the means of prevention and treatment by building different types of hospitals and health institutions. - Article 31 of the Iraqi Constitution

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21 comments

VIEWING:

Reader65069154
Sep 10, 09 7:07 AM CDT

I'm thinking using any example in Iraq as a reason we should do it in the US is not such a great argument, regardless of the angle. Reply

-6

IN RESPONSE:

WallyEFunk
Sep 10, 09 10:19 AM CDT

That was not a very good comment.Whats the reasoning? Besides it's a good argument. Keeping the general population feed sheltered .happy ETC. prevents.communism and PPL like Castro or Hilter from getting into power. the real socialism. Not the univeral health care , other demictatic country's allready have.Right to life, what a concept.

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 10, 09 10:35 AM CDT

You missed the point of the article. We payed for their health care but we wont pay for ours.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader65069154
Sep 10, 09 10:55 AM CDT

Didn't miss the point at all.

-2

| 0 minutes ago

OWLWOMANXXXX
Sep 10, 09 7:18 AM CDT

If they can have it...why can't we? Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Sep 10, 09 7:29 AM CDT

If our Republican and Democratic Congressmen and women can have it why can't we. And to Reader? Many Iraqi Doctors now live in the USA and they are excellent Doctors, now that things are settling down over there they are moving back.

IN RESPONSE:

Timinator2K
Sep 10, 09 8:29 AM CDT

Are they several TRILLIONS of dollars in debt? No? And they have strong oil revenues and not much of a population to support and no millions of illegal Mexican leeches. Golly, my guess is that they can afford it.

-10

IN RESPONSE:

ruserious
Sep 10, 09 8:50 AM CDT

Who are these "Mexican leeches" you speak up, Tim? Are they the ones that work outside of OSHA regulations, working overtime without extra pay, working for a fraction of the cost of American citizens, and existing outside of the law, lest they be caught and deported? Just wanted to check which Mexicans we were speaking of.

IN RESPONSE:

BeatBlaster
Sep 10, 09 9:04 AM CDT

Tim: F YOU. The Mexican crap needs to stop. It's VERY offensive.

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 10, 09 10:36 AM CDT

@Timmy: Were trillions in debt because we went over there and gave them health care while killing thousands of Americans.

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Sep 10, 09 10:44 AM CDT

@Owl, we don't have oil, they do.

IN RESPONSE:

Reader65069154
Sep 10, 09 11:01 AM CDT

Perhaps because their constitution expressly says it will provide it, and ours doesn't. I wonder if requiring all Americans to have health insurance is constitutional in the US?

-4

IN RESPONSE:

IndependentThinker
Sep 14, 09 3:37 PM CDT

@Reader65069154: So what your saying is we should make universal health care a constatutional amendment. Sounds brilliant!

| 0 minutes ago

SuzanJ
Sep 10, 09 9:02 AM CDT

Are we paying for this shit?! Reply

IN RESPONSE:

nick
Sep 10, 09 3:41 PM CDT

Of course we are, thanks to the Bush administration. Iraqis are also given a free-- state paid for-- education through College! This was written into their 1st Constitution under Paul Brenner's watch back in the 2004 time frame, at a time when the country produced very little oil.

| 0 minutes ago

muleskinner
Sep 10, 09 9:31 AM CDT

TIM---Got news for you, if you like to eat, probably picked by a mexican leech---im 20 miles from the border and i see all of these so called leeches in 100 degree heat working so you can eat Reply

IN RESPONSE:

autorob
Sep 10, 09 10:56 AM CDT

The key word for me is Illegal,Mexican or not. You work here pay your taxes and contribute to the system. Be part of the solution.

IN RESPONSE:

wwwonderer
Sep 10, 09 12:12 PM CDT

What about those using phony socials that pay into the system and NEVER get it back? What about ANY sales or property tax 'illegal leeches' pay? And rob, You mean pay taxes fairly, like CORPORATIONS ALWAYS DO? Like Goldman did ($6B in wages and bonus, $14M in taxes)? You mean giving energy companies BILLIONS in tax breaks when they make RECORD PROFITS in a quarter for ANY corporation? You me be part of the solution like ROLLING BACK TAX CUTS? You mean like not hiding wealth in a Swiss bank account to AVOID taxes? I'm all for everyone contributing FAIRLY to the tax pool. The thing about it to me is the wealthy and corporations have not contributed their fair share, and the percentage they contribute has been dwindling for decades. The NEXT person that talks about welfare SHOULD address corporate welfare. But of course, MOST people talking about welfare love to imagine it's ONLY minorities abusing the system.

IN RESPONSE:

PosterNutbag
Sep 11, 09 1:25 AM CDT

muleskinner is right, they do the work that most of us are unwilling to do. @autorob, the key word IS illegal, which is why you hear that word used so much. Try thinking 'undocumented' instead. I think most illegals are looking to work and would prefer to be legal/documented if they could. Also, consider that mexico has its own disturbing legacy of racist colonialism, and take a close look at the faces of the illegal mexican immigrants in your town, how much of it is native/pre-colombian blood that you are looking at? Take a serious look at US history, particularly in the west, and then reflect on what I hear a lot of mexican-americans saying, "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed us."

| 0 minutes ago

yummines
Sep 10, 09 8:17 PM CDT

one thing though, when are the Iraqis going to help us with our problems? oh wait, they cant because they still have problems that we are still trying to solve. geez, all that money spent on this ridiculous war could have gone to better use Reply

| 0 minutes ago

norightturn
Sep 11, 09 1:55 AM CDT

That's a shame that we offer Universal health care coverage to another country but not to our own citizens. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 21 comments »

Iraq • Bush administration • health care • health insurance • health care reform • Iraq war

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Universal Health Care: We Already Gave it to Iraq