Just last month, the Bush campaign started running blistering attack ads against John Kerry, accusing him of opposing needed resources for our troops in Iraq. Ironically, now Republican lawmakers are saying the same thing about Bush.
In a stunning front-page article today, the Washington Post notes that funding requests from the Pentagon have been ignored by the White House. By all indications, Bush, who claims to be unconcerned about polls, is afraid of the political consequences.
The military already has identified unmet funding needs, including initiatives aimed at providing equipment and weapons for troops in Iraq. The Army has publicly identified nearly $6 billion in funding requests that did not make Bush’s $402 billion defense budget for 2005, including $132 million for bolt-on vehicle armor; $879 million for combat helmets, silk-weight underwear, boots and other clothing; $21.5 million for M249 squad automatic weapons; and $27 million for ammunition magazines, night sights and ammo packs. Also unfunded: $956 million for repairing desert-damaged equipment and $102 million to replace equipment lost in combat.
The Marine Corps’ unfunded budget requests include $40 million for body armor, lightweight helmets and other equipment for “Marines engaged in the global war on terrorism,” Marine Corps documents state. The Marines are also seeking 1,800 squad automatic weapons and 5,400 M4 carbine rifles.
Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said everyone realizes the troops need more money, but believes the White House doesn’t think it will look good in a campaign context, after the administration promised costs in Iraq would be low and reconstruction costs would be paid for by oil revenues.
[Weldon] charged that the president is playing political games by postponing further funding requests until after the election, to try to avoid reopening debate on the war’s cost and future.
Weldon described the administration’s current defense budget request as “outrageous” and “immoral” and said that at least $10 billion is needed for Iraqi operations over the next five months.
“There needs to be a supplemental, whether it’s a presidential election year or not,” he said. “The support of our troops has to be the number one priority of this country. . . . Somebody’s got to get serious about this.”
Weldon isn’t alone.
Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) was on the Today Show this morning. When Matt Lauer asked if Bush’s decision to delay funding for Iraq was motivated by election-year politics, Hagel said, “Oh, I fear it is, Matt.” He added, “Every ground squirrel in this country knows $50-75 billion in additional money is needed to sustain us in Iraq.” Hagel also called on the White House to be “honest” with the country about the real cost of fighting the war.
There are signs that Bush doesn’t have a lot of time to come to his senses.
Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Tex.), who returned from Iraq on March 23, said senior Army officers and contractors told him “serious problems” will surface this summer if Congress does not approve more spending by June. Without the additional funding, food concession contracts will have to be renegotiated and operations and training bases in the United States will have to be cannibalized to finance operations in Iraq.
“If one American soldier in Iraq loses his life because Congress and the administration were afraid of the political consequences of another supplemental appropriations bill, shame on everyone who should be a part of that process,” Edwards said.