Army to slow repairs as Congress weighs funds

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Army to slow repairs as Congress weighs funds

By Kristin Roberts
Mon Apr 16, 9:44 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army will defer spending and
slow repair work on any equipment not needed for operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan due to Congress' failure to approve $100 billion in
extra war funding, the largest branch of the armed forces said on
Monday.

The Pentagon also will ask Congress to allow the Defense Department
to use $1.6 billion in funds meant for the Navy and Air Force to pay
the Army's operating expenses, the Army said.

If funds are not approved by May, further spending restrictions will
be made. That, the Army warned, could hurt its ability to take on a
new fight.

"The Army estimates that even with these spending restrictions and
a temporary reprogramming of $1.6 billion, funds are sufficient to
keep operations running only until the end of June," the Army said
in a prepared statement Monday.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070417/pl_nm/usa_army_funding_dc

[Vincardog]

1. But Congress' DID approve more than $100 billion, Has jr vetoed it yet?

If he did, how the hell is it Congress's problem?

GIVE ME A BREAK

[youngdem]

2. Dems need to be screaming "WE'VE APPROVED AN INCREASE IN TROOP FUNDING AND BUSH WON'T SIGN IT"

Then keep repeating "Well, if BUSH would just sign the bill on his desk, the troops would be funded more fully than in ANY YEAR of the war so far, and all he has to do is take these increased assets and finish up. What's so hard about that?"

[Thor_MN]

3. Actually, we haven't sent the bill to * yet.

They have to iron out the differences and pass it to * in order to put the ball in his court. I hope they do that this week.


I think the key part of this ploy by the White House/Pentagon is:

"If funds are not approved by May, further spending restrictions will be made. That, the Army warned, could hurt its ability to take on a new fight."

* and Co. are sweating this bill as they can't expand the war to Iran without it. They are trying to goad Iran into doing something to justify an invasion based on "self-defense" but they know that their "pre-emptive" crap won't fly any more.