WP: In GOP, Concern Over Iraq Price Tag

[kskiska]

Some Doubt Need For $20.3 Billion For Rebuilding

Friday, September 26, 2003; Page A01

A new curriculum for training an Iraqi army for $164 million. Five hundred experts, at $200,000 each, to investigate crimes against humanity. A witness protection program for $200,000 per Iraqi participant. A computer study for the Iraqi postal service: $54 million.

Such numbers, buried in President Bush's $20.3 billion request for Iraq's reconstruction, have made some congressional Republicans nervous, even furious. Although the GOP leadership has tried to unite publicly around its president, cracks are beginning to show.

"President Bush should live up to his recent pledges to restrain spending, by . . . taking a strong stance that the new Iraq can and should pay for its own reconstruction," wrote Rep. Tom Feeney (Fla.), a freshman Republican, and Stephen Moore, a conservative economist, in an editorial for the National Review.

The discontent is relatively contained so far, said Jim Dyer, Republican staff director of the House Appropriations Committee, but that is because few lawmakers have read the proposal's fine print. As more details seep out, he said, anger is sure to rise.

(snip)

"We're not talking sanity here," Dyer said. "The world's second-largest oil country is importing oil, and a country full of concrete is importing concrete."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2213-2003Sep25.html

[NJCher]

1. watching out for themselves

Note how many republicans say they will not question the pRez because it will damage his chances in the election, and their own chances, too.

Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, but that's not the way it's supposed to work. You uphold the public trust first and then worry about the election. One takes care of the other.

These people are a disgrace to democracy.


Cher

[fishnfla]

2. They were counting on oil revenues

to pay the bill. Now they are dragging their feet on any sort of power transfer, any iraqi control of the country. Still hoping to recoup the oil money.

Shit i'd investigate crimes against humanity for 200K

[Don_G]

3. Zip Codes???

When a lot of their houses are in ruins? A million for an anti-Saddam museum? Almost a billion to import oil products when Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the world?

I think Dimbo needs to stay off the sauce and away from man-eating pretzels.

[DebbieCDC]

4. $200 Billion More????

Did anyone else notice this in the WP article: "Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) insisted that the administration press nations such as France, Russia and Germany to forgive some of Iraq's $200 billion foreign debt, which Bremer conceded is now the United States's responsibility." WTF???? Are we now responsible for another $200 billion??????
:wtf:

[sandnsea]

7. Yes, that's what it says

I hope it makes it into the mainstream, all hell will break lose.

[goforit]

5. Tisk tisk tisk!!!!..................Now they have to watch their own backs

They just might not be re-elected!!!!

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. Kick

:kick:

What a friggin waste of money, good thing this pertinent piece of information got out on a Friday, where everybody in Punditland is sure to pick it up :eyes:

[Zhade]

8. $200 billion KICK

NT!

[Judi Lynn]

9. Wouldja look at this?

From your W.P. article:

(snip) The discontent is relatively contained so far, said Jim Dyer, Republican staff director of the House Appropriations Committee, but that is because few lawmakers have read the proposal's fine print. As more details seep out, he said, anger is sure to rise.

Those details include $100 million to build seven planned communities with a total of 3,258 houses, plus roads, an elementary school, two high schools, a clinic, a place of worship and a market for each; $10 million to finance 100 prison-building experts for six months, at $100,000 an expert; 40 garbage trucks at $50,000 each; $900 million to import petroleum products such as kerosene and diesel to a country with the world's second-largest oil reserves; and $20 million for a four-week business course, at $10,000 per student. (snip/...)

Those four-week business courses can make Iraq rise from the ashes, don't you know? How half-assed is that?