Anti-war nations barred from deals

THE White House yesterday said it was totally appropriate to keep Iraq war opponents like France, Germany and Russia from participating in $18.6 billion in US-funded contracts for Iraq’s reconstruction.

"I think it is appropriate and reasonable to expect that prime contracts for reconstruction funded by US taxpayer dollars should go to the Iraqi people (and) those countries who are working with the United States on the difficult task of helping build a free, democratic and prosperous Iraq," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

Mr McClellan said the decision applied only to the $18.6 billion in reconstruction funds approved by the US Congress last month and that