Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

International

U.S. Asks Snubbed Nations to Forgive Iraq's Debt

President Bush defends the decision to bar countries that opposed the invasion of Iraq from bidding on U.S.-funded reconstruction contracts there. The decision is announced even as the White House asks some of those same countries to help Iraq by easing its debt load. Germany, France and Russia -- all frozen out of the bidding -- are among Iraq's largest creditors. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Copyright 2003 NPR