Republicans Pushing $87 Billion Iraq Aid Through Senate

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031002/ap_on_go_co/congress_iraq&cid=512&ncid=1473

WASHINGTON - Republicans are starting to push President Bush's $87 billion Iraq-Afghanistan bill through the Senate, but pressure is building on the White House to make part of the Iraqi aid a loan.

By a 59-38 vote, the GOP-run Senate defeated a proposal by Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to shrink the $20.3 billion Bush wants for rebuilding Iraq to $5.1 billion. The vote, in which nine Democrats sided with the president, was the first test of a package that Senate leaders hope to complete by mid-October.

Off the floor, administration officials and top House and Senate Republicans labored to tamp down efforts by their own rank and file, moderates and conservatives alike, to make at least part of the reconstruction money a loan.

"Given all the needs here in the United States, we have to sometimes draw lines, and that's one of them," said Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a loan supporter.

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[Selwynn]

1. Byrd as made me angry

Actually I shouldn't single out anyone -- all of congress has made me angry, including Democrats I heard yesterday (or tuesday?) on coverage of the Senate.

It makes me angry that the part of the bill they're attacking is the money for rebuilding. I was listening yesterday, and congressman after congressman kept saying that Iraq should rebuild itself, one even suggested that Iraq should pay for its own rebuilding by taking out loans from other countries. Everyone seems fine with billions of dollars to keep our military machine rolling, but when it comes to humanitarian concern, or just basic responsibility towards a country WE DEMOLISHED AND NOW OCCUPY, no one - democrat or republican - seems to give a fuck.

The only hope - the only hope -- we had for salvaging any sense of honor or decency from this wrong war lay in how we handled ourselfs afterwards. It lay in whether or not we were truly committed to making Iraq a better place. But we are not. We are not just. We don't care about that at all. We come in, blow a country to complete hell, leave it in utter decimation and then have the GALL to say that they should go into billions of dollars of debt to rebuild the country we destroyed.

Rebuilding was the only thing we should be committed to in Iraq. And its the thing we're completely not committed to at all. We have no interest or intention to rebuild Iraq in any real way. The phrase "liberation of the Iraq people" rings in my ears and I am utterly ashamed. Iraq will end up like Afghanistan - broken, wasted and runied in far worse shape than it ever was. And democrats are allowing that to happen as much as republicans. It makes me sick. To me this is the most disgusting thing our country is currently doing, and it is doing it with broad bi-partisan (and probably popular support.) Sometimes I am ashamed to be an American - I wish I could say otherwise.

[mike_c]

2. esentially, I agree with you, but bear in mind that...

...as currently structured, much of the "rebuilding" money will simply pass through Iraq on its way to the bank accounts of Haliburton, Bechtel, KBR, and etc. Then there's the layer of second-tier carpet-baggers already lining up for their turn to worry the corpse.

I have another suggestion-- place administration for the entire rebuilding effort under international control, e.g. the U.N., and then bill the U.S. for war reparations to pay for it, preferably with the proviso that no company incorporated in the U.S. can bid on the job unless they provide necessary services that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

I too am ashamed of what the U.S. has done in Iraq, but I'm afraid that the current rebuilding plans are little more than a smokescreen for further economic rape.

[Selwynn]

3. I understand...

Which only makes me even more miserable. And I hate saying this, but I don't believe democratic congress man are opposing the money because they believe it will go to big corporations and not to rebuilding. If that were true they could say as much and at least make a stand for what's right. Sadly, I honestly believe it is because no one - NO ONE - actually cares about doing what is morally right in Iraq. We raped the country, we have an obligation to ammend that horrible wrong (I didn't say fix or erase it) by putting back together what we destroyed - but no one is interested in advocating that, because it would cost money and not be a popular policy.

[UpInArms]

4. here's straight my repuke Senator's mouth

http://www.yourcongress.com/CongRecLookup.asp?section_id=915116&keyword=Bond

Mr. Bond. Madam President, I just came from a very interesting luncheon meeting where we listened to Dr. Chalabi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council. He had almost the same thing to say. He said: What President Bush has done is magnificent. Our people are victorious; they are not vanquished. Our failure is that the media is not carrying the stories. The antiwar folks who opposed the war from the beginning are talking about the problems of liberation rather than the success of a free people.

He would like to have a chance to tell his story more widely, and I hope he is listened to. He said there are large areas of Iraq where marines are withdrawing, turning the area over to coalition forces from other countries, Macedonia and Spain. He said the Iraqis are in the process of being trained and equipped to go out as police and as military. With the backup of U.S. troops, they will be able to take on more of the responsibilities of defending against armed paramilitary groups and maintaining peace and order.

He said this is a tremendous development. They are setting up a free market in Iraq. They are cutting customs rates and tax rates. I would like some of my colleagues to hear what he says about the need for lower taxes. I think that is important as well.

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[Selwynn]

6. What a joke

[sattahipdeep]

5. The real carpet-baggers

The 77 senators who voted for this war.