Vets’ groups slam Congress on war-funds delay

[unhappycamper]

Vets’ groups slam Congress on war-funds delay
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 30, 2007 11:20:25 EST

The leaders of the nation’s two largest veterans’ groups are urging Congress to pass a $196 billion war-funding budget before serious damage is done to military morale and readiness.

George Lisicki of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Marty Conatser of the American Legion are both urging Congress to pass a supplemental war budget when lawmakers return to work next week after a two-week break.

They are pushing for approval of the Bush administration’s request for extra money to cover the ongoing cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Pentagon and service officials have warned that if Congress does not approve at least part of the funding by mid-December, the services will have to begin taking steps to initiate large-scale budget cuts that would take effect early next year, including closing of some domestic military bases, laying off 100,000 or more federal workers and other cost-cutting measures.

The Democratic-controlled Congress has been trying to find a way to use the war-funding bill to force a change in strategy that could lead to the withdrawal of some or all U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Democratic leaders have not figured out a way to get the House and Senate to pass such a measure, nor do they have a plan for overriding the almost certain presidential veto of the bill if a withdrawal plan were included.

Before the Thanksgiving congressional break, Democratic leaders expressed skepticism about the Pentagon claims of running out of cash, saying defense officials could temporarily shift money between accounts using the $459 billion peacetime Defense Appropriations Act that was signed into law Nov. 13 to cover war-related expenses until an agreement could be reached.

“The military’s expertise is in planning and execution, not in bluffing Congress,” said Lisicki, a Vietnam veteran from Carteret, N.J., who heads the nation’s largest organization for combat veterans.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/military_warfunding_veteransgroups_071130w/



uhc comment: Other veteran's groups, such as the Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans For Peace think it's a good idea.

[Lasher]

1. "...closing of some domestic military bases..."

Notice the closing of foreign military bases is not even being considered.

[unhappycamper]

2. Well, we *are* fighting them over there. . . . n/t

[Bitwit1234]

3. Well bush's two military buddies the VFW and the American Legion

have jumped into it again havened they....I do not fault Vets but I think this pieces of crap that run these two organizations should be jailed themselves. How many times have they tried to kiss bush ass even in public.