Two Republicans Seek Audit of U.S. Iraq Operations

[Hobarticus]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Republican U.S. congressmen just back from a trip to Iraq urged President Bush on Tuesday to accept an independent panel to audit U.S. operations there, and called on him to acknowledge mistakes that they said set back Iraq's recovery by months.

Reps. Frank Wolf of Virginia and Christopher Shays of Connecticut also urged the administration to give Iraqis a bigger voice in rebuilding their own country, and to show more "humility" in sharing power and being open to differing ideas.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3964930

[Faygo Kid]

1. "Humility?" This bunch? Won't happen

They can expect a nasty phone call from Karl Rove. And that's all they can expect.

[grasswire]

2. thanks for posting

Very interesting development.

[Beetwasher]

3. That's A Good One!

Hahahah...Oh boy...Who are these guys kidding? They're making reasonable requests as if monkeyboy cared about the Iraqi people and wanted to do the right thing...

[denverbill]

4. Hmm. Apparently, they haven't all sold their souls yet.

[Skittles]

5. HA HA, HA HA HA HA

Boys, you are in the WRONG PARTY. Humility? Giving Iraqis a bigger voice? Please.

[Eric J in MN]

6. after reading that thread title, I was like

After reading that thread title, I was like, "Christopher Shays?" and sure enough, it's him.

[Judi Lynn]

13. At times he comes very close to being similar to a human being! n/t

[Malva Zebrina]

7. If I were either one of them I would not

get in any small planes or go up into any high building. I think , in view of Bush's puerile propensities, they will definately be punished in some way.

[Eric J in MN]

8. I doubt Bush will care.

This won't affect him.

It's not like they were the deciding votes against legislation he wants.

[Robbien]

9. I doubt Bush will even know

Rove, Delay and Card will probably never tell him about it.

[Jacobin]

10. Doing an inventory of the deck chairs on the Titanic

How useful.

[schultzee]

11. Good. Someone from his own party needs to tell him.

[izzie]

12. Well Bush has sent in Baker to watch the money.

We are all safe and so are the people of Iraq.:grouphug:

[TacticalPeek]

14. I believe aWol signed an executive order

specifically forbidding the Inspector General's office from investigating the Iraq reconstruction activities. Gee, I wonder why?

[UpInArms]

15. is this the order to which you refer?

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13290.htm

, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, hereby determine that the United States and Iraq are engaged in armed hostilities, that it is in the interest of the United States to confiscate certain property of the Government of Iraq and its agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities, and that all right, title, and interest in any property so confiscated should vest in the Department of the Treasury. I intend that such vested property should be used to assist the Iraqi people and to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq, and determine that such use would be in the interest of and for the benefit of the United States.

I hereby order:

Section 1. All blocked funds held in the United States in accounts in the name of the Government of Iraq, the Central Bank of Iraq, Rafidain Bank, Rasheed Bank, or the State Organization for Marketing Oil are hereby confiscated and vested in the Department of the Treasury, except for the following:

(a) any such funds that are subject to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations or the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, or that enjoy equivalent privileges and immunities under the laws of the United States, and are or have been used for diplomatic or consular purposes, and

(b) any such amounts that as of the date of this order are subject to post-judgment writs of execution or attachment in aid of execution of judgments pursuant to section 201 of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (Public Law 107 297), provided that, upon satisfaction of the judgments on which such writs are based, any remainder of such excepted amounts shall, by virtue of this order and without further action, be confiscated and vested.

Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to perform, without further approval, ratification, or other action of the President, all functions of the President set forth in section 203(a)(1)(C) of IEEPA with respect to any and all property of the Government of Iraq, including its agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities, and to take additional steps, including the promulgation of rules and regulations as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate such functions in accordance with applicable law. The Secretary of the Treasury shall consult the Attorney General as appropriate in the implementation of this order.

[TacticalPeek]

16. Didn't bookmark the EO #, but:

snip

Bush signed an executive order last week forbidding the U.S. Inspector General in Iraq from auditing how $87 billion in Iraq reconstruction is being spent because of—you guessed it!— "national security." Audits would’ve covered big political donors who received no-bid contracts.

snip

http://www.mtexpress.com/2003/03-11-26/03-11-26murphy.htm

[pinto]

20. Shays is keen on the power of the purse, he may feel that the Admin

has gone far enough in abrogating the Congressional authority, under the guise of "security". B*shco has basically hijacked the budget and used "security" to gain acquiescence.

[pinto]

19. I know Beamer signed an order (#39?) preventing any lawsuits

[pinto]

17. Comments are pretty blunt, coming from "team" members,

Neo-cons will not be happy with the statement identifying the Arab-Israeli conflict as key to peace in the whole ME.
Definitely outside the admins "global democratic revolution" dogma. And they travelled outside the military "bubble".

[Hobarticus]

18. Anyone else find this odd?

That congressmen after congressmen and civilians and such have left the "bubble" in Iraq to get a better idea of what's going on?

Sen. Clinton, these two, parents of servicemen suddenly showing up in Iraq...

...and jackass either flies over Baghdad at 30k feet, or stays at the airport for 2.5 hours.

Not to mention "evasive maneuvers" with AF1 on 9/11.

Inherently, the man's a coward. Pure and simple.

Wish our servicemen and women expected more of their C-in-C. At least Clinton actually walked around in Bosnia.

Remember in November...

[CO Liberal]

21. Bush Will Have Arthur Andersen Conduct The Audit

:-)

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

22. Chris Shays can go Fu*% himself

Moderate Republicans are worse than wingers in my view. They sell
their souls to hang with the thugs. At least the thugs believe the
crap they are spewing. If Shays had any balls he would become an
independent.

[Fleshdancer]

23. Breaking news on January 1, 2004:

We're getting live coverage here at faux news about the apparent double suicide of Representatives Frank Wolf of Virginia and Christopher Shays of Connecticut. They were found dead while lying in bed together at the DC Motel 6. Karl Ro...er, I mean, the suicide note claims the two were secret lovers hooked on "heroin and each other" and they were both too ashamed so they had to kill themselves.

Now back to our ongoing coverage of Michael Jackson....

[opihimoimoi]

24. No plane rides for them, dats fer shure

bullet proof vests are now mandatory

[kainah]

25. Two men who used to have some integrity

I keep waiting for the repubs to revolt from the repugs. They keep disappointing me. One more chance, Wolf & Shays.