Bush Administration Under Fire for Iraq Spending

[Quetzal]

Bush Administration Under Fire for Iraq Spending

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is under fire from U.S. lawmakers who complain that only a tiny portion of the $18.4 billion to rebuild Iraq has been allocated and some funds are being diverted for security and administration costs.

As of March 24, only $2.24 billion has been earmarked according to an early April report prepared for Congress by the White House.

"They appropriated $18.4 billion for Iraq and precious little of it is being spent for reconstruction," said Dave Helfert, a spokesman for Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee said on Friday.

"We need these public works projects to improve the lives of the Iraqi people and yet we can't build them because of the security situation."

more...

http://news.findlaw.com/politics/s/20040430/iraqcongressfundsdc.html

[izzie]

1. I still see this as going to blow up in to something big.

Where is all the money?

[imax2268]

2. I'm curious...

whatever happend to the 87 Billion...what exactly did that pay for...?

[shraby]

3. That's what Congress

wants to know and is trying to find out. I see some of it on C-Span if I catch it right.

[NMDemDist2]

4. the 87 billion had 22 billion for re construction

that is what isn't being spent. The rest went for Army stuff like paying Halliburton to feed the troops etc. Some was earmarked for coalition "support" (read bribe) But the Pentagon needs more now that they has all the fighting. War is expensive ya know all those bullets and such.