Bush wants an additional $87 BILLION dollars!!!

[Honeykiss1974]

Did anyone else listen to his speech last night?

I also knew Bush was a lil' stupid, but $87 BILLION stupid?
OMGoodness, if there is any lesson to learn from this man's presidency, it is this...PLEASE get out and vote!!!!




Posted on Mon, Sep. 08, 2003

Bush: War 'will take time'
In a televised address to the nation, the president says he will do and spend what is necessary to succeed in Iraq.
BY RON HUTCHESON
Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Sunday issued an international call for help in Iraq and asked Congress for an additional $87 billion to help pay for U.S. operations there and in Afghanistan.

In a tacit acknowledgment that the war in Iraq is not going as planned, Bush urged Americans to prepare for a long and costly effort to transform the former dictatorship into a democracy. He offered no timetable for U.S. withdrawal.

"This will take time, and require sacrifice," Bush said in an evening address to the nation from the White House. "Yet we will do whatever is necessary, we will spend what is necessary to achieve this essential victory in the war on terror." [i] WHAT THE HAYLE?!??! )

He cast the conflict in Iraq as a pivotal contest between civilization and terrorism that will determine the future of the entire Middle East.

"The Middle East will either become a place of progress and peace, or it will be an exporter of violence and terror," he said. "Iraq is now the central front. Enemies of freedom are making a desperate stand there -- and there they must be defeated."

Speaking four days before the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush said America's outlook on the rest of the world has fundamentally changed.

"For America, there will be no going back to the era before Sept. 11, 2001 -- to false comfort in a dangerous world," he said. "We have learned that terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength. They are invited by the perception of weakness."

Bush did not address the failure so far to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq or criticism that he and his advisers drastically underestimated the difficulty of stabilizing the country. The $87 billion price tag, which comes on top of the $79 billion (that totals $166 BILLION!) that Congress approved last spring, was higher than previous estimates.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, predicted that the costs in Iraq would swell to at least $100 billion next year. (add that to the previous total - $266 BILLION! )

"Every assumption the administration made about what would happen after the war was dead wrong," Biden said prior to Bush's address.

Bush acknowledged that some traditional U.S. allies are reluctant to commit troops and financial help for the rebuilding effort after they opposed the U.S.-led war. The president's appeal for international assistance was a marked shift from his earlier insistence that the United States and its willing allies could deal with Iraq without an endorsement from the United Nations.

"I recognize that not all of our friends agreed with our decision" to go to war, Bush said. "Yet we cannot let past difficulties interfere with present duties."

The president said U.S. commanders are satisfied that the 130,000 U.S. personnel now in Iraq are enough but said they seek more foreign troops.

Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed hope Sunday that other countries would send as many as 15,000 troops.

Bush vowed that U.S. forces would stay until the job is done, even in the face of terrorist attacks.

"The terrorists have a strategic goal," he said. "They want us to leave Iraq before our work is done. They want to shake the will of the civilized world."

Bush's speech was his first prime-time address on Iraq since his May 1 announcement that major combat was over. Polls indicate that public opinion about the war has deteriorated steadily since then, along with Bush's approval ratings.

Although most Americans continue to say they approve of Bush's performance as president, the aura of invincibility that surrounded him in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has faded amid concerns about the economy and developments in Iraq. About half of Americans think that the war is going badly.

Democrats have become increasingly vocal in criticizing Bush's handling of Iraq. Republicans are starting to join them.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said on CNN that before the war, Bush and his advisers left the impression that Iraqi citizens would throw bouquets at U.S. troops, "but they've been throwing bombs instead."

[nikki1920]

Why does the US have to be the World Police? I'm getting tired of this. I"m moving to Switzerland... lol

[WenD08]

now, there's a group out saying that this country's infrastructure is crumbling and in need of repair (roads, bridges, buildings, etc.), plus our schools can use some rebuilding, but...we need to give $ 87 BILLION towards the "invasion" effort?
i forgot to mention, we had another round of federal (while some states have raised taxes, go figure) tax cuts recently. so, where's the money to come from?
not surprised by his speech in the least

[nikki1920]

wend08, my point exactly. He's so busy flexing his muscles and trying to be like his daddy...look what happened to him after the Gulf War....OUT he went...but I never voted Dubya in ANYWAY..

[Honeykiss1974]

I heard on the radio that the tours have been extended for those people in the reserve, possible for another year!

[AchtungBaby80]

I'm sorry for butting in on your thread, but I saw it in the recent discussions and had to say how shocked I was when I heard about it. I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor...or at least my chest. All I've heard for months is how the schools are having to take huge budget cuts and universities are losing federal support monies, but Bush wants millions to do...what? I just can't believe it. I also can't believe I actually voted for him. That's a helluva lot of money!

[btb87]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I heard on the radio that the tours have been extended for those people in the reserve, possible for another year!

And there are supposed to be another 20,000 troops sent from the US - Britain was sending over another 1,200 (wow. . .).

Now, we have people here that for one reason or another (or many reasons) don't/can't work, we already have a deficit of at least 5 kabillion dollars, shortages in the education/nursing field (where's the money to teach those that wanna go to school in these areas?) and we're building up other areas of the world? Why? Feeling guilty because you gotta replace what you tore up?

Okay, I'm done. . .

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I'm sorry for butting in on your thread, but I saw it in the recent discussions and had to say how shocked I was when I heard about it. I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor...or at least my chest. All I've heard for months is how the schools are having to take huge budget cuts and universities are losing federal support monies, but Bush wants millions to do...what? I just can't believe it. I also can't believe I actually voted for him. That's a helluva lot of money!

Can we count on you to NOT vote for him next year? (dead serious)

Bush needs to prioritize. How can you mandate leave no child behind when based on his spending, that is exactly what he is doing.

[nikki1920]

^5 to CT4. Again, why do WE (the US) have to bomb the life out of a country and then stick around to try to turn it into our ally? LET THE IRAQI PEOPLE CREATE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT!!! ITS THEIR COUNTRY!! I mean, yes we should stick around long enough to help them back on their feet and to clean up our mess, but its the UN's job to help set up govts, and rebuild the infrastructure, not the US's. WHY is it that America always thinks that its way works for EVERYONE? IT does NOT. (and before anyone asks, YES I love my country, but I have lived overseas, and we are not liked by a lot of countries for this very reason. We stick our noses into everything)

Bush is shooting himself in the foot, IMO. IF he was smart, he'd be paying MORE attention to what is going on at home, election year is coming up AND pay attention to NORTH KOREA!!!

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I'm sorry for butting in on your thread, but I saw it in the recent discussions and had to say how shocked I was when I heard about it. I literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor...or at least my chest. All I've heard for months is how the schools are having to take huge budget cuts and universities are losing federal support monies, but Bush wants millions to do...what? I just can't believe it. I also can't believe I actually voted for him. That's a helluva lot of money!

So true. A female Senator (her name slips me at the moment) made the comment that when it came to money for our schools and colleges, Bush couldn't find any.....but when it comes to Iraq, suddenly $87 Billion dollars appears.....

[damasa]

All I have to say is damn this man, damn him.

Ok, so he ousted Hussein, but that was nearly half way across the world. He ousted the taliban, also nearly half way across the world. I agreed with him sending troops into Afghanistan, I felt we needed it. I did not support sending troops into Iraq. We are not the World Police. He swore to the American people that Iraq claimed to be an immediate threat, yet where are these threatening weapons? I don't see them. He went into this to settle a personal vendetta that started with daddy.

In the meantime, our economy is for crap, our national debt continues to rise, he is asking for additonal money that we really shouldn't be giving away for "war time" reliefs.

He is rebuilding Iraq when he should be concentrated on rebuilding his own country.

[Honeykiss1974]

In the past two years, America has had:

1,400 American casualties -- nearly 300 dead -- in Iraq, and more in Afghanistan.

A North Korean nuclear threat.

A $6.8 trillion national debt.

High gas prices and unemployment.

Business scandals and a recession.

Color-coded alerts and real terrorist threats.

A major blackout.

The de facto end of the Posse Comitatus law, habeas corpus rights and the Senate's authority to declare war.

The vile USA PATRIOT Act. This truly is a VILE act. Please take a moment and read this. http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html You will be SHOCKED!

The largest anti-war rallies ever.

The longest vacation schedule and most fund raising by a president ever.

Alienation of the rest of the world.

No Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein, dead or alive.

No weapons of mass destruction.

No end to fear of new attacks, job loss, environmental havoc and our own government.

No independent investigation of the events of 9/11.

~ Something to think about next November~

[blackcoffee]

...and let me also mention that he is NOW asking for help in the war effort from the same countries he alienated before the war started...

Talk about hypocrisy....that is his middle name.

[Honeykiss1974]

Congress OKs Iraq, Afghanistan Funding
43 minutes ago Add Top Stories - AP to My Yahoo!

By ALAN FRAM

WASHINGTON - Congress voted its final approval Monday for $87.5 billion for U.S. military operations and aid in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).

Handing a legislative victory to President Bush (news - web sites) a day after Americans in Iraq endured their worst casualties since March, the Senate approved the bill by voice vote, sidestepping the roll call that usually accompanies major legislation.

That underscored the complicated political calculus presented by the measure, which was dominated by popular funds for U.S. forces but also sparked questions about Bush's postwar Iraq policies and record budget deficits at home. Sidenote - this mess amounts to "shady voting"

"As the president said time and time again, we will not walk away from Iraq," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, a leading author of the bill. "We will not leave the Iraqi people in chaos, and we will not create a vacuum for terrorist groups to fill."

In the latest blow to Iraq's U.S. occupiers, 19 American troops were killed there on Sunday. That included 16 who died when a missile brought down a U.S. Army transport helicopter west of Baghdad, a crash in which 21 other Americans were wounded.

That shoot-down allowed critics of Bush's leadership of the Iraq war to argue anew that he should have done more to win commitments of troops and resources from other countries.

"Every day, when we see these bloody headlines of American soldiers being killed, we are reminded that had this been a global coalition, ... what we're facing today could have been so much different," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Even so, Durbin and several others who criticized Bush during Monday's debate said they would support the bill as the best way to protect U.S. troops and expedite the day when Americans can leave Iraq.

One who said he opposed the bill was Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, top Democrat on the Appropriations panel. In some of the day's strongest words, Byrd called the bill a "monument to failure," citing the lack of help from allies and persistent U.S. casualties.

The measure was the second massive package for Iraq and combating terror that Bush has requested and Congress has produced in less than seven months.

In April, they enacted a $79 billion package that included $62.4 billion for the war in Iraq, which had just begun, plus other money for Afghanistan, tightened security at home and help for financially ailing U.S. airlines.

The House cleared the most recent bill Friday by 298-121. Most of its money is for the federal budget year that runs through Sept. 30, though some of it is for a longer term.

Largely following the outlines of an $87 billion package that Bush requested on Sept. 7, the bill includes $64.7 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Most of that — $51 billion — was for American troops in Iraq, while another $10 billion was for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The money includes everything from salaries owed reservists called to active duty to buying aircraft parts, missiles and thousands of extra sets of body armor for ground troops.

In the starkest departure from Bush's proposal, there is $18.6 billion — $1.7 billion below the president's plan — for retooling Iraq's economy and government. This included funds for clinics, power and water supplies and training police officers and entrepreneurs.

Dropped, however, was money that critics said was wasteful or at least not needed urgently. This included money Bush wanted for ZIP and telephone area codes; a children's hospital in Basra, which is patrolled by British troops; sanitation trucks; and restoration of drained marshlands.

Though Bush got less than he wanted for Iraqi aid, the White House fended off lawmakers of both parties who had forced a provision through the Senate making half the aid to Iraq a loan.

House-Senate bargainers killed that language last week, leaving the aid a grant that Baghdad will not have to repay.

The bill also has $1.2 billion for buttressing Afghanistan; $500 million for helping victims of U.S. natural disasters, such as Hurricane Isabel and California's wildfires; and $245 million for international peacekeeping efforts in Liberia (news - web sites).

Money also was included to expand Arabic-language broadcasts into Iraq, secure U.S. diplomats in Iraq and Afghanistan, provide rewards for the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and aid Pakistan and other U.S. allies.

Senate Democrats staged a hearing of their own to underline the exclusion of a Senate-passed provision setting criminal penalties for war profiteering.

A business consultant told the lawmakers that U.S. taxpayers are paying excessive reconstruction costs because small- and medium-sized Iraqi businesses that win contracts are charged exorbitant interest rates by Iraq's most powerful families. The consultant, Timothy Mill, urged the creation of a lending fund from $500 million in seized Iraqi assets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So basically, this passed because mofos were playing off the sympathies generated from the soldiers that died in the Chinock helicopter disaster.

[AKA2D '91]

Ummmmmmm, did I miss the raise they gave educators?