Senate panel votes to block money for Iraq reconstruction [View All]

[thecrow]

Source: AP

May 1, 4:20 PM (ET)

By ANNE FLAHERTY

(AP) Rubble lies before the Askariya mosque as part of its reconstruction effort in Samarra, 95...
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WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate panel has agreed unanimously to block the Defense Department from funding Iraq reconstruction projects worth more than $2 million and to begin to force Baghdad to cover the costs of training and equipping its security forces.

The provision, included in a 2009 defense policy bill approved this week by the Senate Armed Services Committee, comes as Democrats draft a similar provision within separate legislation that would cover this year's war spending.

The efforts are part of the latest push on Capitol Hill to get Iraq to spend more of its own money and spare U.S. taxpayers. Democrats and many Republicans say it is unfair that Iraq is looking at pulling in as much as $70 billion in oil revenues this year while Americans grapple with soaring fuel prices at the pump.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080501/D90D2DEG0.html

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2 million out of $70BILLION?
Iguess they mean business!