Bush Vows to Step Up Iraq Rebuilding Spending

[sr_pacifica]

Bush came under fire from Democrats and fellow Republicans when the White House acknowledged only $1.2 billion had been spent so far from the $18.4 billion reconstruction package Bush asked Congress to rush through last year.

Bush, who met with Allawi at the White House on Thursday, said they were in agreement that “the pace of reconstruction can and should be accelerated,” and cited the $9 billion figure.

In contrast, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told lawmakers on Friday he hoped to speed up the pace of spending to between $300 million and $400 million a month.

Last week, the State Department announced it would divert $3.5 billion from water, sewer and other infrastructure projects to try to improve security.

Bush on Saturday also touted efforts to train Iraqi security forces. He said nearly 100,000 “fully trained and equipped” Iraqi soldiers, police officers and other security personnel were already working and that the Iraqi government was on track to build a force of over 200,000 security personnel by the end of 2005.

Documents prepared by Defense Department officials and given to lawmakers showed fewer than 100,000 would be trained by the end of this year. They also showed that of the nearly 90,000 now in the police force, only 8,169 had the full eight-week academy training. It will be July 2006 before the administration’s new goal of 135,000 fully trained police is met.


Full story at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6095836/


All I have to say is "liar, liar, pants on fire1"

[proud patriot]

1. but he just took money away from reconstruction

flippity floppity

[donco6]

2. This is the wrong evaluation tool.

Reconstruction shouldn't be measured by the pace of spending, but on the pace of project completion! As Dems are always being accused of "throwing money at the problem," I would be the first to demand that we get regular reports on what exactly has been built - how many schools, where, how many miles of road, bridges, etc.

[luaneryder]

3. That would be a report I would like to see.

One constantly hears about "all the good" being done in Iraq and liberal media just won't report it. I call BS on it. If "all the good" were being done as trumpeted there would be a media blitz. Where the hell is that money going, to whom, for what, some photos and reports please?

[donco6]

4. I work for a school district.

We have to be audited ever single year. We have to show the total value of all of our fixed assets (buildings, land, capital equipment). I don't see why we shouldn't demand the same of Halliburton et al., demonstrating where the money is going.

[izzie]

5. And I just read BBC and DOD is saying something else.

How can you go to bed at night and wake in the morning and the whole plan has changed, Does anyone know what they are doing in DC?

[Kierkegaard]

13. Hell, THEY don't even know what they're doing in DC.

All the lies, secrecy and obfuscation, no wonder they haven't got a clue. No two cabinet members are reading from the same script!

I can't wait for this nightmare to be over...

[leesa]

6. Little more cash in Cheney's pockets before they are kicked out, eh?

[MichiganVote]

7. Why bother? It will get blown up and we're being invited to leave anyway

[Disturbed]

8. More Bullshite from the Neo Fascists

Lies, more lies and damn lies!!!

There are only several goals for the U.S. Neo Fascists in Iraq and reconstruction is not one of those.

Oil.
Pipelines
U.S. Military Presence

[annabanana]

9. What..He's going to hire more Heritage babies?

All the people "running" the reconstruction over there are 19-25 year old kids who applied for jobs at the Heritage Foundation. They are the sons and daughters of the connected and know NOTHING about what the job is or how to do it.

pure ideologues

[darknesstolight]

10. America comes first

I hope he has a budget for America after the hurricanes or does Iraq come first. Did he mention that or did he just bring up Iraq to look good, make love to the camera.

[are_we_united_yet]

11. "...Step Up Iraq Rebuilding Spending ..."

Yes but on what?

[Comadreja]

12. Ever had your credit card stolen?

[Amigust]

14. If Bush says it and it sounds like a good deal,

figure it's just more of his pathological lying. NONE of his sound-good promises have turned to anything but shit.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Amigust!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[GoldenOldie]

16. 70% unemployment rate in Iraq

Halliburton has concrete coming from Kuwait instead of using the Iraqi cement plants and its workers. Halliburton has been hiring from the Philipines and other nations who in turn send their money home, instead of the Iraqi citizens.

This Administration has taken our Nation into a war on a lie, failed miserably without any plans once we became the occupiers. Set up a bogus government and failed to insure the security of the Iraqi citizen.

Yeah, tell the people that funds will be transferred.......it's the old shell game......can anyone say where the pea is????

[Cocoa]

17. Bush vows a lot of things n/t