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Lawmakers Reach Iraq-Afghan Aid Deal
Congressional negotiators agreed Wednesday on an $87.5 billion aid package for Iraq and Afghanistan that meets a White House demand that none of the money be provided as loans. Despite rising criticism in Congress over the handling of the war, the package worked out by House-Senate negotiators largely resembles the proposal submitted by President Bush. The House and Senate are expected to act quickly to give the bill final approval before it goes to Bush for his signature. But both Republicans and Democrats expressed frustration over what they described as the White Houseâs disdainful treatment of Congress on Iraq. "You bump up to a degree of arrogance over and over," said Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said "it is an act of considerable statesmanship for a lot of people in this place to continue to support what the president is trying to do in Iraq given the smidgen of information weâre getting in return." But Republicans, including Wolf, rejected a Democratic proposal that would have required Senate confirmation for Bushâs civilian administrator in Iraq, the position held by L. Paul Bremer. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., rejected Democratic claims that this would make the administration more accountable. "Iâm not at all sure that the American people equate accountability with confirmation by the United States Senate," he said.The way some confirmation hearings have gone, heâs probably right. The bill includes $64.7 billion for military expenses, $18.4 billion for Iraqi reconstruction and security forces and $1.2 billion for Afghan reconstruction, according to figures released by the House Appropriations Committee. Bush had requested $65.1 billion for military expenses, $20.3 billion for Iraq reconstruction and security forces, and $800 million for Afghan reconstruction. Given the padding in the original numbers, the Prez did pretty well. The loan issue was the most divisive item as the House and Senate tried to resolve differences between their versions of the bill. Loan supporters said U.S. taxpayers are already spending plenty on Iraq and that the countryâs vast oil reserves should enable it to pay back some of the money eventually. Under the Senate bill, Iraq would not have had to repay the loan if other countries forgave 90 percent of the debt Iraq ran up under toppled leader Saddam Hussein. On Wednesday, World Bank President James Wolfensohn called on the United States and other rich nations to forgive at least two-thirds of Iraqâs foreign debt. Okay by me but we didnât loan Saddam any money. I doubt Jacques, Gerhardt and Vlad will go along ... Bush threatened to veto the bill if the loan provisions were included. He and congressional Republican leaders argued that Iraq was already too deeply in debt to borrow more money and that there was no Iraqi government with the authority to take on new loans. Domenici said the grants are needed to quickly improve conditions in Iraq and get U.S. troops home. "America will be recompensed 50 times over if this thing gets ended and they have a strong country," he said. "This money weâre arguing about will be a pittance when they become our friends in the international markets of oil." Sorta like Europe, which means that in 50 years the Iraqis will be smoking Galouches and be insufferably arrogant. But Obey noted that much of the new aid pledged by other nations at an international donorâs conference last week was made as loans. "It seems to me that weâre asking the U.S. taxpayers to be Uncle Sucker instead of Uncle Sam," he said. No, itâs just the Europeans playing the role of Cousin Cheap. Senate conferees voted 16-13 not to insist on their loan amendment with their House counterparts. All Republicans voted no. One Democrat, Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, also opposed the loans. They also agreed to create a temporary position of Iraq inspector general to oversee the spending of the money. Not a bad idea. The House could vote as soon as Thursday; the Senate would act sometime after the House does. Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-30 |
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