Senators Eye Iraq Reconstruction Costs

Members Of Senate Panel Seek Assurances Funds Won't Fuel Corruption Or Insurgents

(CBS/AP)  Members of a Senate committee that voted against President Bush's Iraq plan said Thursday they also are wary of pouring more money into rebuilding while the security situation is so dire.

"I want you to know that I am not inclined to support any additional funding in this area without strong assurances that this sort of mismanagement has been alleviated," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.

A day earlier the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 12-9 in favor of a resolution condemning Mr. Bush's decision to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. The vote largely was along party lines. Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel was the sole Republican who supported the measure.

A full Senate vote could come as early as the week of Feb. 5, Democratic leaders said Thursday.

Mr. Bush says the troops are needed to provide security for rebuilding efforts. As part of his new strategy, he pledged an additional $1.2 billion and said the Iraqi government has designated $10 billion.

The State Department is expanding the number of reconstruction teams for Baghdad and Anbar Province, sending some 300 additional civilian personnel to Iraq.

On Thursday, Republicans and Democrats told a State Department official they are concerned the extra money could fuel corruption or the insurgency.

"Some of us have become very skeptical of the capacity — our capacity to organize this and the capacity to actually implement it," said Sen. Joseph Biden, the committee chairman.

The department has spent nearly $15 billion on reconstruction, said Biden, D-Del., and "as you know better than I do, the results aren't pretty."

Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, the committee's top Republican, said Congress should get more detailed reports from the administration on progress made and money spent in Iraq.

"Overall, the results have been disappointing to the Iraqi people, to Congress and to American taxpayers," he said about the rebuilding efforts.

David Satterfield, the department's senior adviser on Iraq, said the increased security afforded by extra troops will make it easier to oversee spending.

"We know there are no silver bullets, no guarantees regarding the question of Iraq. We know that most Americans are deeply concerned about the prospects for success there," he told senators.

"But the situation now in Iraq, and the stakes for the United States, the region and the international community, are extraordinary," Satterfield said.

The resolution awaiting action by the full Senate says that Mr. Bush's decision to send more troops is "not in the national interest."

There's no change in White House policy on Iraq because of the resolution, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports. Spokesman Tony Snow said President Bush is standing by his new strategy and still wants Congress to give it a chance to work.

The panel's resolution is nonbinding and Vice President Dick Cheney was quick to say it won't stop the administration from moving forward.

"The president has made his decision," Cheney said Wednesday in a CNN interview. "The fact of the matter is, we need to get the job done."

Republicans have met privately to try to shore up support for Bush's approach. The Senate is tied 49-49 between the two parties, with two independents caucusing with the Democrats. That means either party needs help from the other to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and advance legislation.

"The goal is to try to salvage this situation and not send the additional troops with a message of disapproval," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., of the GOP meetings.

McCain told reporters Thursday he is interested in drafting a resolution that would establish benchmarks by which the U.S. could measure the effectiveness of the troop increase.

Such a resolution could have broad appeal among Republicans who want to avoid attacking the president but are concerned about sending additional troops to Iraq without an exit strategy.

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he believed the Democratic resolution could be viewed as a political attack on Mr. Bush and misinterpreted "by our enemies as abandoning Iraq." But, he added, he was skeptical that additional troops in Baghdad would be successful.

"I have been waiting for the administration to extend an olive branch in an attempt to forge a compromise" that would make clear "we stand united as a nation," Voinovich said. "I obviously have been disappointed since that has not happened."

Voinovich and like-minded GOP senators say they might be willing to sign on to the measure backed by Sens. John Warner, R-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb.

Warner, a prominent Republican and former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, cast his measure as a milder alternative that does not use politically charged language. It leaves open the possibility of Bush's sending in a much smaller number of troops, particularly to the Anbar province, and uses language that some say may be seen as less partisan.

Senate Democratic leaders say they are trying to negotiate with Warner to pull in more GOP support.

[grumpas]

It is a national disgrace the taxpayer dollars that have been thrown away in Iraq while we do without at home! It's time to stop the blank check too! These people need to be held accountable for the squander of national resources!

[inventagod]

The only 'construction' in Iraq is the palatial new US embassy. On-schedule, over-budget, and built using slave labor. Google it and see...

[bluestardad]

America Does not buy the sound bite that Iraq is the war on Terror or that if we do not fight in Iraq we will fight the Terrorist over here. Unless you have been on your knees with your eyes shut in front of some Stalwart Republican like Mark Foley or Tedd Haggert you would have seen that Iraq did not attack America on 9/11 and that Iraq is in a Religious Civil War. The American People have Rejected the premise that if you disagree with the Iraq war an the President you are for the Terrorist. The Electorate on November 7, 2006 saw thru the Hypocritical Republican Abortion hating, Gay Bashing, Sausage Smoken Evangelicals who steals millions of dollars from widow women promising them Salvation all the time he%u2019s seeing male Prostitutes behind his wife%u2019s back. While Pedophile Republican Congressmen Openly stalk the halls of Congress for under age school kids. Republicans Support the will of the American people or getthehelloutta America!

[ghosttownsky]

The best way for us to resolve the Iraq war is for us to develop a group of high ranking moderate Iraq army officers to take control of the country? History shows that changes in regime are normally followed by the installation of a Military Leader with political savvy. They need to possess country loyalty and have a big stick at their disposal to keep various factions under control. Maybe that is already our plan.

[rharrin1]

liebernan18 = singinrick

[bluestardad]

America GET out of the Middle East quit selling them weapons, learn how to make Bio-Fuel or Clean-Coal Fuel and let the Middle East drink the oil and eat the sand! They cut the Oil off in the middle Seventies and we still have not gotten independent from Middle East Oil! Media quit covering these people in the Middle East let them blow each other up without our kids seeing it on the news! Who in American Media is forcing you to cover this violence in the Middle East? America has paid for the entire Middle East for the last Fifty Years in Lives, Blood and Tax Money and this investment has brought us the Chaos we have today. It is time to try something else! The Middle East has been fighting since the Sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac were born. Americans come home and let the Middle East be Isolated! The entire place is not worth one more American Life or Dollar!

[middleman8]

To you people who are so conserned about Iraq reconstruction and who is to pay for it. Where in hell have you been ? The f-ing usaf destroyed this country and now you want someone else to pay for your stubid mistakes. Get with your resposibilites and get out of Iraq, they don't want you and no one else does either.

[j-whitman]

Lieberman,,, You wanted a Failing Leader -- You've got him.... Bush

[j-whitman]

Lieberman,,, Here's a news flash for you -
- Today Bush's Plan is rapidly failing in Iraq -
- Bush is now asking for another $10 Billion for Afaganistan .... That show's you more Bush FAILURES.

[lieberman18]

Dallison,

Have you and Webb cleared the streets of Ho Chi Minh city yet. You know, the place formerly called Saigon. And is Kerry and Murtha and Hagel marching into Hue yet? Do let me know.

Don't forget to call your Draft Dodging friend Perv Bill up for a B-52 strike. Don't forget, he was good about sending them over Belgrade, but I do have this uneasy feeling that he wouldn't strike those whom he supported.

Guess you and Ex and the boys are left on your own up country. Better look for a circus.

[clestes-2009]

No more money. We have spent enough with no return and none coming.

[dallison7]

Tee Hee. Must be a circus break for you Left Fascist Bozos.
Posted by lieberman18 at 04:15 PM : Jan 25, 2007

"left fascist", still haven't looked up 'oxymoron' have you lieberman? You still think I am calling you a name.

[observantx]

Lieberguy18:

I name thee troll and spambot.

[lieberman18]

all morons on board - all the time.

Tee Hee. Must be a circus break for you Left Fascist Bozos.

[bluestardad]

America GET out of the Middle East quit selling them weapons, learn how to make Bio-Fuel or Clean-Coal Fuel and let the Middle East drink the oil and eat the sand! They cut the Oil off in the middle Seventies and we still have not gotten independent from Middle East Oil! Media quit covering these people in the Middle East let them blow each other up without our kids seeing it on the news! Who in American Media is forcing you to cover this violence in the Middle East? America has paid for the entire Middle East for the last Fifty Years in Lives, Blood and Tax Money and this investment has brought us the Chaos we have today. It is time to try something else! The Middle East has been fighting since the Sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac were born. Americans come home and let the Middle East be Isolated! The entire place is not worth one more American Life or Dollar!

[observantx]

Let's just save ourselves the grief and take the money we would have given Iraq and burn it.

The chances of it being used for what it was intended in that country are on a par with a snowball's chances in Hades.

The money will get siphoned off by everybody who comes in contact with it. Corruption and bribery are how these Middle Eastern countries are run.

better yet, let's distribute it among the diasabled vets our Fearless Leader has created with his lies and oil lust.

[tuckerndfw]

Whatever happened to "Iraq's oil will pay for the reconstruction with plenty left over."?

Or, is that just another lie told by the Bush administration? If Iraqi oil isn't paying for reconstruction, why isn't it?

George Bush, *** Cheney, et al should be prosecuted and ordered to pay a fine equivalent to the reconstruction costs of Iraq.