President Bush Wants Addition $42 Billion for Wars

So, our esteemed President Bush wants another $42 billion to fight the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars for 2008. Needless to say, California is on fire, many parts of the country, such as Georgia, are experiencing potentially devastating droughts and parts of the Midwest experienced the worst flooding in years and Bush is asking for more money to fight two wars that seemingly have no end in sight. The Senate majority leader has estimated that the cost of the Iraqi was is near $650 billion. I recall when Kerry was running for president, he was practically laughed off the stage of the debates when he suggested that the war was going to cost a fraction of that amount. Bush has said that the new request will cover armored vehicles, equipment repair, among other things. I recall hearing on the news this morning that $1 billion for earmarked for the training of Iraqi soldiers disappeared in thin air. To quote Mr. Bush, "parts of this war are complicated, but one part is not, and that is that America should do what it takes to support our troops and protect our people." Haven't we heard this before? No-one has ever questioned the valor of our troops and they command the greatest respect possible, but at what cost to our own economy do we continue to fight these wars, with no end in sight. This war is complicated because nobody truly knows what is going on. The Bush administration has already sought $147 billion for 2008 and most of that money is earmarked to go to Iraq, which it is said is currently costing the Pentagon an estimated $2 billion a week.

I am no fan of Harry Reid, but this latest request will most definitely kick off another debate on Capitol Hill over the current and future course of the Iraq war. The last supplemental spending request made by President Bush led to a showdown with the Democratic leaders of Congress, who pushed, albeit, unsuccessfully to some degree, for a withdrawal of American combat troops in 2008. Reid has said that the new request means that the overall cost of the war, which is widely unpopular, now approaches $650 billion since the invasion began. It seems that Bush is more concerned with what is going on overseas than in his own country. On October 3^rd, he vetoed a $60 billion children's health care bill that had bipartisan support and would have been paid for by an increase in cigarette taxes. Instead, he called the bill too expensive and a step toward government-provided health care. This is a travesty. It seems as though the children, who are our future, are not as important to Mr. Bush, as continuing to fight a losing battle.

The initial supplemental request, which was made in February, has not yet been approved. The initial request asked for $141.7 billion and was followed by a $5.3 billion request to fund the purchase of more armored vehicles. Additionally, the Bush Administration has said that the latest supplemental would fund about $1.7 billion in new spending on veterans' health care, which no-one would object to in my opinion, $1 billion for military construction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan and another $1 billion for training Iraqi soldiers and police. Again, as of this morning, the news said that they are unable to account for $1 billion in funds earmarked for training Iraqi soldiers and he is asking for another billion! I have to wonder what the legacy that President Bush will leave behind is. He will leave behind a war that our children's children will be paying the price for. He will forever be remembered for the disaster he created in Iraq and for the equally devastating disaster in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He neither had a solid entry strategy for Iraq and certainly no solid exit strategy. The troops will languish in Iraq, in harm's way, for many years to come. Bush trumpeted the turning points such as the fall of Baghdad, the death of Uday and Qusay, the capture of Saddam Hussein, a provisional government, a charter, a constitution, the trial and subsequent hanging of Saddam, elections and the list goes on. Are we any closer today to getting out of Iraq? I think not and he is asking for more money.

As we view the latest news, California is in the midst of the worst devastation in its history. Raging wildfires have destroyed 1,300 homes across Southern California and pushed by the fierce Santa Ana winds, threaten 72,000 others, according to California fire officials. Reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, evacuees joined thousands of residents seeking refuge in shelters, schools and stadiums as fires pushed into new areas. National Guard troops were posted at Qualcomm Stadium. It has become the temporary home of 10,000 fire evacuees. President Bush has issued an emergency declaration for seven California counties, thus clearing the way for federal disaster relief. According to the White House, the Agriculture Department will provide fire crews, air tankers and helicopters to fight the wildfires and the state will receive assistance grants to help pay firefighting costs. We need to rally around our brothers and sisters in California and to provide any help we can as a country.

It is my hope that our elected officials draw the line somewhere with this war. We cannot continue giving Mr. Bush a rubber stamp to fund the war as he pleases at the expense of the American people. Yes, we must protect our soldiers at all costs, however, we must put the rights checks and balances to in place to ensure that the money of the American people will not go to waste, as has been documented on many occasions. There are a lot of things that need to be done here in the United States and we must be mindful of those things as well. There is no easy solution to this mess playing out in Iraq, but we cannot continue to give the President free access to funds to do as he pleases in Iraq.

It may be too early to figure out what Bush's legacy will be. Interpreters of history have cited two models: Harry Truman, whose reputation rose tremendously after leaving office and Lyndon Johnson, whose legacy was tarnished by Vietnam. Analysts have said that if the attacks of September 11 were the transcendent moment of the Bush presidency, then the long and difficult war in Iraq has fundamentally defined it. The war has gone horribly wrong, his approval ratings have plummeted and voters sent a message to the GOP last November by giving Democrats control of Congress. I would venture to say that Mr. Bush will be among the lowest rung of American presidents. Many supporters will point to his accomplishments such as tax cuts, the appointment of conservative judges, routing the Taliban, which may be questionable, and satisfactory effort to protect the U.S. against terrorist attacks. We must be mindful that his administration bungled the federal relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Let us also be mindful of President Bush's repeated statements about Osama Bin Laden that he will "smoke him out" of his cave, capture him dead or alive, if necessary through ground assaults or missile strikes.

During his first inaugural address, Bush talked about the four Cs: civility, courage, compassion and character. He also set out to pass his No Child Left Behind massive education overhaul and his promised tax cuts. While tax cuts will be the keystone of his fiscal legacy, so too will be the enormous budget deficits that have run up with this war. He has been caricatured around the world as a man who bungles his words, is awkward and as a shoot-from-the-hip cowboy from Texas.