Another $50 billion for Iraq war?

They only just aproved the last request for $80 billion for Iraq and now it looks like they want another $50 billion.

yahoo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Armed Services Committee has recommended a further $50 billion be set aside to fund U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S.-declared global war on terrorism.

The proposed new war spending for fiscal 2006, which starts Oct. 1, would push the cost of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and its aftermath toward $250 billion, far ahead of initial expectations voiced by the Bush administration.

I guess they'll be asking for even more by the time that's approved.

[edit on 14-5-2005 by AceOfBase]

Can someone please show me something on where this money is going? I can find links that only account for about 1/3 of the total 220 billion + dollars we have spent on Iraq.

This link is from last january. Less than a year and a half ago. We had given 18 billion to reconstruction at that time.

www.cbo.gov...

A year and a half and 18 billion goes up at an exponential rate?

Here is an intresting quote from 2003 by U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC)

“Today’s report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) raises concerns that there could well be a gap between reconstruction costs in Iraq and available resources, and that the American taxpayer may be asked to foot the difference.

“Before the war in Iraq, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz stated: ‘We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction and relatively soon.’ Yet, our involvement in Iraq has proved to be more complex and costly than anticipated by the Administration. Indeed, the Administration subsequently asked for supplemental appropriations of more than $20 billion to fund Iraqi reconstruction. Today’s CBO report outlines a number of scenarios in which still further resources could be required.

www.house.gov...

This was in 2003. This was from a Democrat. It seems maybe we Liberals arn't such liars and naysayers as even our own Democratic representatives were able to see the truth and attempt to get it out. We were told Iraq could be self sufficient. What happened to that?

Here is a link that has broken down the reconstruction effort and the money involved. It clearly shows it is not all accounted for. So who is skimming the top?

www.globalsecurity.org...

Well its to far along to do anything but properly finish what has been started, half measures and indecision will leave a worse situation IMO.

Interestingly enough except for a half dozen or so lime-lighters always in the news it appears from the Yahoo/Reuters link you provided that bipartisan support exists for the further appropiation of money for WOT.


Yahoo/Reuters qoute of Senator Carl Levin

The additional $50 billion for war spending had bipartisan support on the committee.

"I am particularly pleased that the bill will authorize $50 billion to support the day-to-day military operations of our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq," Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the panel's top Democrat, said in a statement.

Something must be going right if Levin can be quoted making these comments in a political climate rife with partisanship.

[edit on 14-5-2005 by Phoenix]

I know a lot of it is being spent on reconstruction, but we usually don't see much of it on TV because it's boring to show a building being built when you can see terrorists blow up people.... :shk:

A lot is also being spent on training the new Iraqi security forces.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I know a lot of it is being spent on reconstruction, but we usually don't see much of it on TV because it's boring to show a building being built when you can see terrorists blow up people.... :shk:

A lot is also being spent on training the new Iraqi security forces.

I'm actually not so sure about that.

Aside for the $18.4 billion from last year (some of which was spent on security and debt repayment), I think Iraqi money is being spent on the bulk of the reconstruction and probably security forces too. Even the rebuilding of Fallujah is being done with Iraqi money, not US money.

I think the $80 billion that was just approved was partially for the US embassy in Iraq and the bulk was for providing equipment and supplies for the US soldiers.

There's very little US money actually going to the Iraqis.

C'mon people. All that missing money, billions unaccounted for, and nobody has even the slightest care in the world? That was billions of our tax dollars. I gave to that. Im kind of pissed that they cant keep track of my money, especially when they are spending it on something I dont agree with. Doesnt this give some of you a feeling of uneasyness?

This is the best breakdown I've seen of the $80 that was just approved:

simmons.house.gov

The conference report provides $75.9 billion includes $37.1 billion for military operations and maintenance spending, $17.4 billion for personnel, and $17.4 billion for new weapons procurement.

The measure increases the military death gratuity to $100,000, from $12,420, and increases subsidized life insurance benefits to $400,000, from $250,000, for families of soldiers who died or were killed while on active duty beginning from Oct. 7, 2001. The bill also creates a new insurance benefit of up to $100,000 for those who have suffered traumatic injuries such as losing eyesight or a limb.

The agreement provides $308 million more than requested for add-on vehicle armor kits; large increases for new trucks; added funds for night-vision equipment; and $60 million for radio jammers to disrupt attempts by Iraqi insurgents to explode remote-control bombs.

If there's a problem with Iraqis using remote control bombs, instead of jamming their freqs, why don't we throw high power freq scans over the city and detonate them as they're being produced?

And $50 billion... isn't that about how much these new base closures were supposed to save us?

Originally posted by Kidfinger
C'mon people. All that missing money, billions unaccounted for, and nobody has even the slightest care in the world? That was billions of our tax dollars. I gave to that. Im kind of pissed that they cant keep track of my money, especially when they are spending it on something I dont agree with. Doesnt this give some of you a feeling of uneasyness?

They havent even "found" the 100b lost yet, have they?
Yes, Kid, i feel very uneasy.