WP: Rice Grilled on Extra Funding Sought for Iraq, Afghanistan

[DeepModem Mom]

Rice Grilled on Extra Funding Sought for Iraq, Afghanistan
By Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 17, 2007; Page A16


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies before a panel of the House Appropriations Committee. (By Carol T. Powers -- Bloomberg News)

Skeptical lawmakers yesterday demanded a detailed accounting of how Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to spend $6 billion in supplemental funds that the administration has asked for the State Department this year, much of it for Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I think you've got a lot of explaining to do," Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.) told Rice at a hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee on state and foreign operations. "A huge majority of the funds in the supplemental are for military, not political or economic or reconstructive, purposes."

Both Republicans and Democrats asked pointed questions about the rising cost of efforts that seem to be failing, despite newly announced U.S. strategies for both countries. Even as the administration has asked for more money, Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) told Rice, it ought to increase its diplomatic engagement with Iraq's neighbors in the Middle East....

***

The supplemental funding is in addition to more than $140 billion in emergency money that President Bush has requested, primarily to fund new military operations. In a Thursday address, he urged Congress to provide $11.8 billion to accelerate military and police training and reconstruction in Afghanistan, where he said al-Qaeda and the Taliban are launching new offensives after having been "driven from power" by U.S. forces in 2001....

***

Panel members sharply questioned both the supplemental budget and the other funding requests, including a planned $250 million cash payment to the government of Lebanon, $86 million requested for security assistance for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and more than $500 million being spent for a new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021601785.html

[rodeodance]

1. te he. "I think you've got a lot of explaining to do," Rep. David R. Obey

[Felinity]

2. More

"I plead with you, I beg of you," Wolf said, "if we're going to ask a young man or woman in our military to go to Iraq three different times, it's not asking too much . . . to send somebody to engage with regard to the Syrians."

Rice replied: "We don't have an ideological problem with talking to Syria." But, she said, "there just isn't any evidence that they're trying to change their behavior."

Good Answer!: NOT

[Hand]

3. Mmm... grilled Rice. nt

:evilgrin:

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Oh, stop.

;-)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. Later that same day they passed a non-binding resolution

sentencing Condi to one full hour in the Comfy Chair.

:shrug:

They can ask all the questions they want- I won't be impressed until something real comes from them.

[rocktivity]

6. Maybe this explains her "unannounced trip to Baghdad"

(link) It wasn't announced for security reasons--they were insecure about her answering any followup questions!

:headbang:
rocknation

[luckyleftyme2]

7. HOW WE CAN PAY FOR THE SURGE

IT REALLY SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM COMING UP WITH THE EXTRA FUNDING FOR THE SURGE.
WE SIMPLY CHARGE A TAX ON ALL OIL BUSINESSES THAT SHOWED A HUGE PROFIT MARGIN IN 2006;SAY 10%
AND KEEP IT AT THAT AMOUNT UNTIL THE WAR IS ENDED. EXAMPLE EXON MOBILE SHOWED A PROFIT OF HOW MANY BILLION IN 2006,AND HOW ABOUT THOSE HUGE BONUSES PAID TO THE CEO'S,WE COULD ALSO INCLUDE
THE WALL STREET BOYS BONUSES.
SPREAD OUT LIKE THAT WE WOULD HAVE AMPLE FUNDS AND THE COUNTRY WOULD BE BETTER OFF FOR IT.