For Bush, Rosy Scenarios Meet Reality in Iraq

[peterh]

<http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=543034>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush's budget director predicted Iraq would be "an affordable endeavor" and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld once declared: "I don't know that there is much reconstruction to do."

Five months and tens of billions of dollars later, Bush and his top aides are acknowledging for the first time the magnitude of occupying and rebuilding the battered country by asking Congress for an extra $87 billion for next year, on top of the $79 billion already approved for this year.

In the last week alone, White House officials upped their cost estimates in talks with lawmakers to $87 billion from $65 billion.
The administration hopes the new request will get them through the 2004 presidential election season without having to ask for more resources. Bush is seeking a second term but faces declining poll numbers and concern about a sluggish economy.



Affordable and little to reconstruct…..these critters have been living in their own fantasy world since they came into office.