In what was seen as a marked shift in American foreign policy, on Sunday the U.S. put the entire nation of Iraq up for sale on the Internet auction site eBay. The decision to list the Middle Eastern nation on the popular auction site surprised many at the United Nations, where just days ago President George W. Bush had made an impassioned plea for troops and money to help rebuild the war-torn country.
But Mr. Bush hinted at the policy shift in his national radio address Saturday, saying, "We are not occupiers nor liberators: we are highly motivated sellers."
But Mr. Bush hinted at the policy shift in his national radio address Saturday, saying, "We are not occupiers nor liberators: we are highly motivated sellers."
French President Jacques Chirac was the first to notice the listing of Iraq on eBay Sunday morning, when the French leader logged on in search of some rare Edith Piaf recordings.
While surfing the auction site, Mr. Chirac noticed the listing for the oil-rich nation, with an asking price of $87 billion and a seller identified only as RUMMY55.
While surfing the auction site, Mr. Chirac noticed the listing for the oil-rich nation, with an asking price of $87 billion and a seller identified only as RUMMY55.