lily
12-15-2007, 12:16 AM
Why even go through the motions, if it's just business as usual? (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22264758/)
Congress ramps up Iraq, Afghanistan spending
Defense authorization bill sent to Bush — without timetables
WASHINGTON - The Democratic-led Congress authorized more Iraq war spending
on Friday, sending President Bush a defense bill requiring no change in
strategy after failing again to impose a timetable for U.S. troop
withdrawals.
The defense policy bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, also expanded the size
of the U.S. Army and set conditions on the Bush administration’s plan to
build a missile defense system in Europe.
The measure already had passed the House and now goes to Bush, who is
expected to sign it into law. It authorizes Pentagon programs expected to
cost $506.9 billion during fiscal 2008, which began in October.
The bill authorized another $189.4 billion for the Iraq and Afghan wars, for
which Congress has already approved some $600 billion. But it does not
deliver the new money. That is done by appropriations legislation at the
center of a big dispute on Capitol Hill.
Democratic efforts to amend the defense policy legislation to change course
in Iraq passed the House but failed several times this year in the narrowly
divided Senate.
Republicans laud blocking of pullout plans
Republicans, who used procedural rules to block the pullout plans each time
they came up, were happy with the result.
“I was pleased to see ... no policy changes to the Petraeus plan,” said
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, referring to
the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, whose plan for a temporary
boost in U.S. troops in Iraq has been credited with reducing violence.
“The effort (to change course in Iraq) is not over,” Senate Armed Services
Committee Chairman Carl Levin said after the vote. But the Michigan Democrat
did not know what the next step in that struggle would be.
Senate Republicans are expected to try next week to appropriate $70 billion
to fund the war until well into next year. The Pentagon has said the Army
will run out of cash for the war in mid-February.
Measure boosts troops, restricts missile shield
The defense policy legislation expands the Army by 13,000 soldiers to
525,400 in 2008. It also provides 25,000 more U.S. immigrant visas over five
years for Iraqis who worked for the United States and whose lives are now in
danger.
The legislation placed conditions on Bush’s plan to build a missile defense
system in Europe. It stipulates that Poland and the Czech Republic must give
“final approval” — which Levin says means parliamentary approval — to any
deal before the project can go ahead.
It also bars funds from being spent on the missile shield until the
secretary of defense certifies to Congress that the system would actually
work. The White House wants to build the missile shield to counter what it
has described as a possible threat from a “rogue state” like Iran.
The bill lays out a road map of military priorities, and directs weapons
acquisition programs. Legislators earlier removed some provisions of the
bill that Bush had objected to, including a nonmilitary measure to expand
protections against hate crimes in the United States.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), said it was important to speed
the military’s growth without letting recruiting standards slip. Presently,
he said, “We’re taking people into the military that we never dreamed of
taking in a few years ago,” including some with criminal records.
The legislation includes a 3.5 percent pay raise for the military. In
response to complaints, it enhances veterans’ health care, expanding
treatment for brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, and
assuring speedy mental health evaluations.
Congress ramps up Iraq, Afghanistan spending
Defense authorization bill sent to Bush — without timetables
WASHINGTON - The Democratic-led Congress authorized more Iraq war spending
on Friday, sending President Bush a defense bill requiring no change in
strategy after failing again to impose a timetable for U.S. troop
withdrawals.
The defense policy bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, also expanded the size
of the U.S. Army and set conditions on the Bush administration’s plan to
build a missile defense system in Europe.
The measure already had passed the House and now goes to Bush, who is
expected to sign it into law. It authorizes Pentagon programs expected to
cost $506.9 billion during fiscal 2008, which began in October.
The bill authorized another $189.4 billion for the Iraq and Afghan wars, for
which Congress has already approved some $600 billion. But it does not
deliver the new money. That is done by appropriations legislation at the
center of a big dispute on Capitol Hill.
Democratic efforts to amend the defense policy legislation to change course
in Iraq passed the House but failed several times this year in the narrowly
divided Senate.
Republicans laud blocking of pullout plans
Republicans, who used procedural rules to block the pullout plans each time
they came up, were happy with the result.
“I was pleased to see ... no policy changes to the Petraeus plan,” said
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, referring to
the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, whose plan for a temporary
boost in U.S. troops in Iraq has been credited with reducing violence.
“The effort (to change course in Iraq) is not over,” Senate Armed Services
Committee Chairman Carl Levin said after the vote. But the Michigan Democrat
did not know what the next step in that struggle would be.
Senate Republicans are expected to try next week to appropriate $70 billion
to fund the war until well into next year. The Pentagon has said the Army
will run out of cash for the war in mid-February.
Measure boosts troops, restricts missile shield
The defense policy legislation expands the Army by 13,000 soldiers to
525,400 in 2008. It also provides 25,000 more U.S. immigrant visas over five
years for Iraqis who worked for the United States and whose lives are now in
danger.
The legislation placed conditions on Bush’s plan to build a missile defense
system in Europe. It stipulates that Poland and the Czech Republic must give
“final approval” — which Levin says means parliamentary approval — to any
deal before the project can go ahead.
It also bars funds from being spent on the missile shield until the
secretary of defense certifies to Congress that the system would actually
work. The White House wants to build the missile shield to counter what it
has described as a possible threat from a “rogue state” like Iran.
The bill lays out a road map of military priorities, and directs weapons
acquisition programs. Legislators earlier removed some provisions of the
bill that Bush had objected to, including a nonmilitary measure to expand
protections against hate crimes in the United States.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev.), said it was important to speed
the military’s growth without letting recruiting standards slip. Presently,
he said, “We’re taking people into the military that we never dreamed of
taking in a few years ago,” including some with criminal records.
The legislation includes a 3.5 percent pay raise for the military. In
response to complaints, it enhances veterans’ health care, expanding
treatment for brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, and
assuring speedy mental health evaluations.