Pentagon Denies Terror Funds Used for Iraq

[True_Blue]

WASHINGTON - A Democratic congressman on Monday demanded to know whether the Bush administration transferred $700 million to Iraq (news - web sites) war planning efforts out of counterterrorism funds without informing Capitol Hill. The Pentagon (news - web sites) said it didn't happen.

A senior Defense Department budget official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Pentagon used a smaller amount of post-Sept. 11 counterterrorism money on projects that would aid the war on Iraq, but the spending had a wider purpose — it also improved the military's capability to fight terrorists everywhere.

At issue is whether counterterrorism money was spent inappropriately on any preparations for a possible conflict in Iraq, and whether Congress was informed of the Bush administration's changes in spending plans.

Questions were raised because a new book by Washington Post editor Bob Woodward says President Bush (news - web sites) "approved 30 projects that would eventually cost $700 million" by the end of July 2002 in preparation for the war, and that some of that money came from appropriations for the war on terrorism.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&e=15&u=/ap/bush_war_planning

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Shadows of Watergate folks, all the way

The shreders in DC must be running overtime

[wtmusic]

2. Woodward does have a knack

for making people pay attention.

Though Richard Clarke's testimony was equally damning, Woodward goes overboard to appear nonpartisan and unopinionated about whatever he's got. Because of that, maybe it comes off stronger.

[dennis4868]

3. MSGOP....

said tonight that those spineless Dems have already come out and said that this was not illegal....WTF? Do they have a copy of the Constitution?

[aquart]

4. Constitution no longer applicable.

We gave away our constitutional separation of powers in the Patriot Act. George can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, for as long as he wants.

And he wants you to make it permanent. And I haven't heard Kerry object.

[BadGimp]

5. I am willing to bet..

..that this story was "put into the water" by Woodward to lend credence to his book. The book is in fact a masterwork of disinformation.

It's just juicy enough to distract each of us and the left into pouncing on it. I'll bet a bag of donuts there is nothing there. Zip!

There are other incidences of this disinformation in his book and the resulting 60 minutes interview.

listen not to what they say, watch what they do

Look who they appointed as the ambassador to Iraq..Negroponte..case closed.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/8469942.htm?1c

Posted on Mon, Apr. 19, 2004

Bush Names Negroponte As Iraq Ambassador
PETE YOST
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush named John Negroponte, the United States' top diplomat at the United Nations, as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq on Monday and asserted that Iraq "will be free and democratic and peaceful."

Bush announced the nomination in an Oval Office ceremony.

============================

Pay Attention to their actions not their words.

Google this guys background...and then be afraid, be VERY afraid.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=negroponte

[SilasSoule]

6. How much smaller?

A senior Defense Department budget official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Pentagon used a smaller amount of post-Sept. 11 counterterrorism money on projects that would aid the war on Iraq

Err...Uhh how much smaller, 600 million, half a billion?

If no investigation ensues, which I doubt will, The U.S. congress has become a rubber-stamp politburu.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Why didn't Pelosi raise the Constitutional issue?

"House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, of California, said the reports that the Bush administration may have improperly diverted money to prepare for war in Iraq 'are consistent with other examples of the administration's failure to deal openly with Congress.'"

I'm losing hope here --