 The Iraqi parliament remained deadlocked Sunday over who should lead the country's critical security ministries, but lawmakers agreed that each of the 275 members needs two new cars.
Responding to the danger all Iraqi politicians face -- many have been threatened or attacked -- some members suggested that everyone receive a $100,000 grant to purchase two armored cars, according to lawmakers who attended the closed-door meeting. This was quickly shot down by others who said handing out cash might anger constituents. "We cannot award a car to a member of parliament, or simply a grant for $100,000, because this cannot be sold to the public," Abdul al-Hassani, a member of parliament, said in a telephone interview. "The reputation of parliament would be dented."
| Thus showing more sense than half the US Congress. |
After much debate, the lawmakers decided the government would purchase cars and give them to lawmakers. The make and model, and whether one or both cars would be armored, was left up to the parliament speaker and his two deputies. But it is clear that the project will be an expensive undertaking, especially if the cars are armored, as Hassani prefers.
| Let them have the cars, it's cheap considering everything else that's going on. |
The U.S. company Black Armor, whose Web site asks, "Are you important? Do people wearing ski masks have a propensity to discharge firearms in your general direction?" charges $142,000 for a handsome, bulletproof Mercedes S500. Less expensive models include the Chevy Suburban ($110,000), the Lincoln Town Car ($100,000) and the Jeep Grand Cherokee ($95,000).
| How 'bout an armored Saturn? |
Even if the Iraqi government could get the cost down to $50,000 per car, the measure would cost the state $27.5 million.
The need for the cars gained broad support among the Shiite Muslim, Sunni Arab, Kurdish and secular factions of parliament, who said they were still troubled by the decision. "We really face a dilemma," said Hassani, a Shiite politician. "We need a car for the lack of security. We need something to protect the members of parliament, to fill our obligations to the nation. On the other hand, the people of Iraq will see that it is really extravagant to use it for our own interests." |