In Bill’s Fine Print, Millions to Celebrate Victory
Even as the Bush administration urges Americans to stay the course in Iraq, Republicans in Congress have put down a quiet marker in the apparent hope that V-I Day might be only months away.
Tucked away in fine print in the military spending bill for this past year was a lump sum of $20 million to pay for a celebration in the nation’s capital “for commemoration of success” in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Not surprisingly, the money was not spent.
Now Congressional Republicans are saying, in effect, maybe next year. A paragraph written into spending legislation and approved by the Senate and House allows the $20 million to be rolled over into 2007.
“If the Bush administration had spent more time planning for the postwar occupation of Iraq, and less time planning ‘mission accomplished’ victory celebrations, America would be closer to finishing the job in Iraq,” said Rebecca M. Kirszner, communications director for Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader.
Twenty million dollars for a party? Another indication that America’s sun is setting. And a Victory party, at that? The only way we are leaving Irag is the way we left Vietnam, the last chopper out deserting frantic American sympathizers desperate to avoid their fate. If I was an Iraqi citizen chummy with the Americans I think now would be a good time to start chatting up a different sugar daddy, one that’s going to be large and in charge when the Americans leave, as they will, and without regards for the fate of their supporters.
Just more of the “Mission Accomplished” crap.
As long as American voters continue to verify how gullible they are — the thugs in Washington will continue to loot the public coffers to foot the tab for their own PR extravaganzas.
no, no, no. not a Victory party a “Victory” party. this is not an Administration that will allow itself to be dictated-to by the so-called facts on the ground.
NeoCon Masters of the Universe make their own reality.
So aren’t we rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?
#4. No – the Titanic is not sinking. Those who say it is are reiterating Icebergian propaganda. If we turn the ship around now, the iceberg will merely follow it into harbor and attack it there.
In other words, we must hit the iceberg there, so it does not hit us here.
Stay the course.
Listening to Bob Woodward on NPR last night – interview on Fresh Air
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6195031
And I heard Bob say something about Rumsfeld that made me think Rummie hadn’t completely lost it by 2003. [maybe he has since then?]
When discussing Dubya’s speech on the Abraham Lincoln, Rumsfeld told Woodward that he had a chance to review a draft of the speech – and was appalled to see “Mission Accomplished” used in the text. Rumsfeld got that removed from the speech, but didn’t know about – and so couldn’t stop – the big banner placed as a backdrop for Dubya’s speech.
But, hey… that wasn’t a political prop, that poster was put up by the sailors themselves – not Rove’s minions. 🙂
Damn Liberal media…
That’s weird. The text contained “mission accomplished”, but it was removed shortly before the speech, and it’s just a coincidence that the sailors had this MASSIVE “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” BANNER made and hung behind the photo op? The administration team had nothing to do with that banner?
That’s a hard story to swallow. But then, I’m getting real used to this choking feeling…
Sorry, Mike Voice, I think I might have misread your comment, missing your sarcasm. Got it now.