NYT: GOP Senators See Budget Shift on Iraq as Sign of Trouble (for Bush!)

[BurtWorm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/15/international/middleeast/15CND-REBU.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=


September 15, 2004

By DAVID STOUT

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 — Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said today that the Bush administration's request to divert more than $3 billion from reconstruction work in Iraq to security measures was a sign that the American campaign in Iraq is in serious trouble.

"Although we recognize these funds must not be spent unwisely," the committee chairman, Senator Richard G. Lugar, Republican of Indiana, said, "the slow pace of reconstruction spending means that we are failing to fully take advantage of one of our most potent tools to influence the direction of Iraq."

Mr. Lugar expressed his concerns as two State Department officials came before the committee seeking permission to divert more than $3.4 billion in reconstruction funds to security efforts. The request came a day after one of the bloodiest days in Iraq in recent months.

The $3.4 billion is part of an $18 billion package approved by Congress last year for public works projects like water and electrical facilities. The $18 billion in turn is part of an $87 billion package that Congress passed for the American-led effort in Afghanistan as well as Iraq.

[Parche]

1. billions

Damnit, I dont want one more cent to go to Iraq
I am so sick and tired of my tax dollars going over seas
for some other country, especially Iraq,
While our infrastructure is crumbling, the republicans seem
to get a joy out of sending our tax dollars to Iraq

[BurtWorm]

2. The White House asserted that progress was being made in Iraq.

"You know, every step of the way in Iraq there have been pessimists and hand-wringers who said it can't be done," Scott McClellan, the chief White House spokesman, said at a news briefing. "And every step of the way, the Iraqi leadership and the Iraqi people have proven them wrong because they are determined to have a free and peaceful future."

It was not clear if Mr. McClellan was referring specifically to Mr. Lugar or to another Republican committee member, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who was even blunter in his criticism today. The questioner at the White House briefing did not refer to the two senators by name.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

3. FLIP-FLOP

FLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOPFLIP-FLOP

[Neecy]

6. huh?

"And every step of the way, the Iraqi leadership and the Iraqi people have proven them wrong because they are determined to have a free and peaceful future."

What is this asshat smoking? The country is in utter turmoil, the slaughter has escalated in just the last few days (if that's even possible), and I've seen NO move amongst the Iraqi people to lift a damn finger to have a 'free and peaceful future'.

The Iraqi police and military are selling the weapons we're providing them with our tax dollars on the black market. These same weapons are being used to slaughter Iraqi citizens and American soldiers. Where's this determination to have a 'free and peaceful future'?

Sickening. You'd think his head would explode from telling such massive lies.

[napi21]

4. I bet there's more GOP saying this than Lugar.

It also is coupled with Kerry saying Iraq is getting worse, in all his recent speeches. I hate to see this happening in Iraq because it only means more people are going to die, but I think all realists knew this was going to happen.

[BurtWorm]

7. Chuck Hagel

Mr. Hagel said the State Department request was "a clear acknowledgment that we are not holding ourselves hostage to some grand illusion that we're winning."

Mr. Hagel went on to say that the request for reprogramming the money "does not add up, in my opinion, to a pretty picture, to a picture that shows that we're winning. But it does add up to this, an acknowledgment that we are in deep trouble."

[Beetwasher]

9. Hagel, Luger, What a Bunch of Pansy Liberals!

:eyes:

[AlCzervik]

5. The Lugar wing wants * out IMHO

[2Design]

8. IF things are so much better in IRaq why are we giving more money

to halliburton for security :):):) all this money is going down the drain and our stupid congress keeps giving him more

This money needs to be taken out of their hands....