Knowing the real enemy

Josh Marshall talks this morning about the Pentagon plan to limit contracts for Iraqi reconstruction efforts to coalition partners only. He notes that it is unlikely that this is just an effort to punish those countries that didn't help us out. It appears to be part of a larger effort to leverage other countries into putting troops on the ground "in Iraq and in future efforts".

Says Josh, "You Dutch guys want contracts? You Kuwaitis? You know the price ..."

I think he is right.

I also keyed on this point from the actual order:

4. It is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States to limit competition for the prime contracts of these procurements to companies from the United States, Iraq, Coalition partners and force contributing nations. Thus, it is clearly in the public interest to limit prime contracts to companies from these countries.

You hear that France and Germany? You are now officially considered a potential threat to "the essential security interests of the United States" simply because you opposed the war.