Rebuilding Aid Unspent, Tapped to Pay Expenses - WaPost

[markus]

Rebuilding Aid Unspent, Tapped to Pay Expenses

"Seven months after Congress approved the largest foreign aid package in history to rebuild Iraq (news - web sites), less than 5 percent of the $18.4 billion has been spent and occupation officials have begun shifting more than $300 million earmarked for reconstruction projects to administrative and security expenses."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&e=3&u=/washpost/20040430/ts_washpost/a54692_2004apr29


So, the funds that our representatives were asked to go toward rebuilding Iraq (a worth cause, given that we were almost equal partners with Saddam in the demolition of the country) are not being spent, except to prop up the Coalition Authority.

What this really smells like is how to not have to go back and ask Congress for a further appropriation before the election.

I look forward to Sen. Bryd's thoughts on this.

[Ironpost]

1. why

Why would anyone think that * would do anything he says. He actually said that he George w. Bush was going to bring honesty and integrity back to the Whitehouse. How long did that last. What a failure.

[TahitiNut]

2. If left unspent on September 30th, spending authority lapses.

The monies would have to be re-appropriated by Congress.