Bush Refuses To Estimate Future Costs of Iraq War, Violating Federal Law

[MikeNearMcChord]

Congress passed a law requiring the Bush administration to estimate the future costs of the war in Iraq. Here’s an excerpt:

The President shall provide to the Congress a report detailing the estimated costs over the period from fiscal year 2006 to 2011 of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, or any related military operations in and around Iraq and Afghanistan, and the estimated costs of reconstruction, internal security, and related economic support to Iraq and Afghanistan… the report referenced above shall be submitted no later than January 1, 2005.

There is an exemption if the administration certifies that estimates “cannot be provided for purposes of national security.” But the President hasn’t done that. From Bloomberg:

Instead of a presidential waiver, Joshua Bolton, director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote congressional leaders in May 2005 that the Pentagon couldn’t compile the estimates because “there are too many variables to predict accurately.'’
http://thinkprogress.org/

[Redstone]

1. Laws? He don't NEED no esteenkin' LAWS!

Redstone

[marmar]

8. You stole my thought...

As far as the Supreme Chancellor is concerned, he is the law.

[Redstone]

9. Boy, that line from "treasure of the sierra madre" is so useful

these days, isn't it?

I weep for what used to be my country.

Redstone

[Ghost in the Machine]

2. eh, what's one more broken law to this Criminal Cabal?

:shrug:

[gratuitous]

3. Gosh, if there was only some way to hold Bush accountable

But what are ya gonna do?

[Solly Mack]

4. Bush breaks the law....

and Congress does what?

Do I base my answer on all the other times Bush broke the law?

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Probably because he can't find enough zeros to make an estimate.

[rodeodance]

6. so, Congress should push him (if we had a Congress who does its job!

[Ivan Sputnik]

7. Chalk up another impeachable offense

Let's face it, we are now living in a monarchy -- and not a constitutional one.

[Orrex]

10. Hey, they may be onto something here

When my heating bill comes in this winter, I'll simply write to the gas company and say that it's impossible to submit payment because there were too many variables for me to budget accurately.

Problem solved!

[EVDebs]

11. War Powers Act requires time limits and reporting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Powers_Resolution

the two AUMFs, authorizations for use of military force, give (abdicate) to Bush Congress's duty to provide truthful 'situations' and 'circumstances' re said use of force.

This guarantees more Gulf of Tonkins and faux WMD searchs, etc.

BTW, is it now $1 billion per day being spent on Bush's Iraq Adventure ?

[pinto]

12. And they've hidden some ongoing costs as "emergency supplementals"

throughout the war it seems.

[EVDebs]

13. Does MSM know about this ? Just asking.

[CatholicEdHead]

14. He's the "Decider"

expect another Signing Statement to come out after the fact. :puke:

[samsingh]

15. another example of bush breaking the law