Bush Seeks Iraq War Funds ‘With NO STRINGS’

[bigtree]

March 12, 2007

BOGOTÁ, Colombia, March 11 — President Bush on Sunday called for Congress to provide financing for the Iraq war “with no strings attached.” And he defended his decision, made formal this weekend, to send more than 8,000 more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan by saying they would be dedicated to training and support missions.

Referring to the increase of 21,500 troops that he announced in January, Mr. Bush said during a press briefing here, “Those combat troops are going to need some support, and that’s what the American people are seeing in terms of Iraq — the support troops that are necessary to help the reinforcements do their job.”

Mr. Bush added that the additional troops he had decided to send to Afghanistan would primarily be “part of a training and embedding mission” aimed at speeding the readiness of Afghan troops and supporting an increase in the number of national police officers.

The president’s aides announced this weekend that Mr. Bush had formally approved the deployment of 4,700 more troops to Iraq — on top of the 21,500 troops being sent as part of his new war plan — and 3,500 to Afghanistan. The Pentagon had already indicated that it would need to send additional troops to Iraq to support the increases Mr. Bush announced in January. But the specific increase for Afghanistan had not been previously mentioned.

Mr. Bush’s aides announced the increases after the president sent a letter to the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, requesting $3.2 billion in emergency funds for the Iraq and Afghanistan missions. Mr. Bush has proposed making up for the increase with cuts elsewhere. He wrote the letter Friday night on his way from Brazil to Uruguay, the first two legs of his tour through Latin America.

“My hope, of course, is that Congress provides the funding necessary for the combat troops to be able to do their job — without any strings attached,” he said Sunday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/world/middleeast/12military.html?pagewanted=print


Bush Wants Us to Pay for His Fear
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[rodeodance]

1. NBC even news showed this clip----and YES, Bush smirked as he said it.

[Drum]

2. Sorry W...there are strings now.

Stout and strong ones...it's your turn to wear them now.

-Drum

[bryant69]

3. Poor President Bush - having to put up with strings

What is he a puppet? Look the people have spoken, and, as it turns out, the people just aren't that important!

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Double T]

4. The decider's carte blanche 'war' credit card has been cancelled...........

by the American people and Congress better follow through on that mandate.

[liberal N proud]

5. That is what he has had this far. He is like a spoiled brat

If things keep going the way they have been in Congress, he will probably get it "No Strings Attached"

Someone has got to get balls and stop this monster.

[Supersedeas]

6. squeezing a few more dollars for Defense Contractors and breaking the country

in order to justify draconian cuts in domestic programs.

[Javaman]

7. So does this mean he's looking for an

Iraqi fund fuck buddy? Hell, he's had that for years.

[bluedog]

8. he meant NO accountibility......n/t