Pentagon asks Congress for billions more
for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 
Wednesday, September 26th,
2007
Perhaps these issues ought to voted on by
the American people from now on. We'll see what becomes of this
one, but today U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (you know, the guy
that took over after Donald Rumsfeld slinked off with his tail between
his legs) asked Congress for almost $190 billion more for
spending in the Iraq War & Afghanistan. But here's what makes
it so debatable: Gates says the Bush administration is seeking the
money for training, equipment, and new armoured vehicles to better
sustain against bomb blasts. Most Americans are tired of funding
the war - but no one wants our troops to go without.
However, they also want to use the money to
train and equip Iraqi security forces, and "consolidate our bases in
Iraq." Bush was already seeking $42 billion more for the coming
fiscal year, so now they are increasing the request to $189
billion. Do any of us trust this administration to allocate these
funds properly for what our soldiers need? And to
distribute it as claimed?
"I know that Iraq and other difficult
choices America faces in the war on terror will continue to be a source
of friction within the Congress, between the Congress and the President,
and in the wider public debate," Gates said. You bet your ass it
will. Because the money doesn't just come from money trees planted
on the Capitol's lawn. It comes out of our pockets, our paychecks,
our currency value, our economy.
And most importantly, funding this war means we are also giving the
lives of our family, our friends, our neighbors, our sisters and
brothers - it enables the current administration to occupy Iraq and
Afghanistan throughout 2008.
"Like all of you," Gates continued, "I
always keep our troops - their safety and their mission - foremost in my
mind every day." Bullshit. If their safety was foremost
in your mind, that would mean they'd be above the religious and
political chaos we've fueled (not started, but definitely fueled) in the
Middle East. Instead of enabling Bush, you would encourage him to
backpedal, make peace, and try to bandaid the wounds we've created,
instead of giving Iraq and Afghanistan the false hope that we can occupy
and be their safety net forever.
Our troops are brave, they're proud, and
honorable, and deserve to be protected. Protected doesn't mean
spending $11 billion dollars for 7,000 new Mine Resistant Ambush
Protected Vehicles. It means getting them the hell out of
there. It means making peace so they don't have to fight,
and it means not pulling on our heartstrings and abusing our patriotism
as a guise for funding your illegal war.
Please excuse my language slips in this
article...we try to keep it clean, but I am just so tired of
this. God bless the troops.
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