We have met the enemy and they is..........

$50 bln more asked for US Iraq, Afghan, terror wars!

What could the Bush Administration be thinking??? Didn't the Congress just give them $82 BILLION on Monday??? Just how bold can they be??................................. But wait!!!

The White House Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, said it had not sought the additional $50 billion. No, instead The Senate Armed Services Committee has recommended an additional $50 billion be set aside to fund U.S. military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S.-declared global war on terrorism.

http://www.msnbc.com/modules/exports/ct_email.asp?http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusintl/reuters05-13-094456.asp?reg=mideast&vts=51320051421

"The recommendation for fresh emergency spending was sent to the full Senate on Thursday night as part of a bill that also would authorize $441.6 billion in regular defense spending in fiscal 2006, a 3.1 percent real increase over the sum authorized by Congress last year. ...." "The new measure had bipartisan support. It is expected to be taken up by the full Senate as early as the end of this month. Once passed by the Senate, it needs to be reconciled with the House of Representatives' version, then approved by both chambers and signed by President Bush to become law. "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 of Michigan, the panel's top Democrat, said in a statement."

And then there is this from Senator Patty Murray:

Supplemental Should Have Been Better

This week, I continued my strong support for our men and women in uniform by voting for the $82 billion supplemental aid bill to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure passed the full Senate 100-0. I believe we must provide the necessary equipment and support for our military personnel. (Funny, she used to believe that they should never have been put into harm's way based on lies and bad intelligence)

NO ADDED SUPPORT FOR VETERANS' HEALTHCARE - I also believe that part of taking care of them is providing them with the healthcare and benefits they were promised as part of their service. That's why, throughout the budget and supplemental appropriations process, I fought to increase funding (by an additional $2 BILLION) to care for our nation’s veterans. I introduced an amendment to the supplemental bill to provide for our troops by providing them with healthcare services and benefits when they return home. Unfortunately, my amendment failed multiple times on party-line votes. (Of course that didn't stop her from voting to continue this occupation)

UNRELATED IMMIGRATION PROVISION - I am also very troubled that far-reaching and unrelated immigration rules got attached to this bill without a vote and without an opportunity for debate. (And why was that?) The so-called Real ID provision has ramifications for privacy, states’ rights and immigration policy. I am disappointed that it has been rammed through as an attachment to desperately needed funding for our troops. (But not disappointed enough to stand up to the republican war machine I guess)
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So, while we continue to talk about ending this occupation, it appears our congressional audience continues to shrink.

How does that Willie Nelson song go? "Turn out the lights, the party's over.................."

Chad (The Left) Shue
"I'm melting...I'm melting....."