Nethercutt hails Iraqâs recovery
Rep. George Nethercutt said yesterday that Iraqâs reconstruction is going better than is portrayed by the news media, citing his recent four-day trip to the country. "The story of what weâve done in the postwar period is remarkable," Nethercutt, R-Wash., told an audience of 65 at a noon meeting at the University of Washingtonâs Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs.
"It is a better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day." He added that he did not want any more soldiers to be killed.
Nethercutt is a member of the House Appropriations Committee that approved President Bushâs $87 billion request for military and reconstruction expenses in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dan Senor, an adviser to U.S. administrator for Iraq L. Paul Bremer, also spoke to the UW audience -- by phone. A traffic accident kept him from catching a plane in Washington, D.C.
Nethercutt and Senor highlighted the return of electricity to Iraq, which now has a higher megawatt output than it did before the war. Reconstruction has targeted schools and hospitals, and the Americans are spending 3,500 percent more on health care than Saddam Hussein did, Senor said. He said the Iraq effort needs the financial support Bush has asked for from Congress. "It gives us the tools to finish the job here," Senor said.
Nethercutt said the faster infrastructure rebuilding is completed, the faster the country can take care of itself and the United States can leave. "So in five years or less, weâre out of there," ...
Except for the air and army bases weâll have there courtesy of the treaty weâll sign with the new Iraqi government that is elected.
... said Nethercutt, who plans to challenge Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., for her seat. "Iâm as fiscally conservative as anyone can be ... but I think it is a smart investment for this country to make."
He said he has no doubt that weapons of mass destruction are in Iraq, have been in Iraq or that there was a program there to produce them. Many potential weapons sites are awaiting inspection from Americans, he said. "Thatâs not an excuse, just a reason. Itâs not surprising that we havenât found huge supplies of weapons," Nethercutt said, adding that what inspectors are looking for could fit in a space the size of a two-car garage.
Actually it is a surprise, but one that weâll eventually explain.
During a question-and-answer session, some in the audience questioned the need for the United States to deal with the United Nations.
I take it that this was not the Al Franken fan club in the audience.
"Iâve had my moments where I felt the United Nations was counterproductive to its charter," Nethercutt said.
Aida Kouyoumjian, who grew up and attended school in Baghdad, told Nethercutt she was glad the United States did not rely totally on the U.N. for approval. Another audience member, Dan Goldhaber, a professor in the public affairs school at the UW, asked Nethercutt for clear criteria for when the United States should get involved in other countries. Nethercutt said Saddam Hussein provided a good model for threats the nation should confront with its pre-emptive policy. Terrorism attacks that can kill large numbers of people have made pre-emptive action necessary, he said. "We canât counterpunch anymore," Nethercutt said.
Obviously he gets it.
Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-15 |