Defending Iraq
Then:
The grants to Iraq the President seeks bespeak a grandeur of vision equal to the one which created the free world at the end of World War II. Iraqis living in freedom with dignity will set an example in this troubled region which so often spawns terrorists. A stable peaceful economically productive Iraq will serve American interests by making America safer.There are some things I would like to point out about this billion request:
We have a definite plan with milestones and dates. No one part of the supplemental is dispensable and no part is more important than the others. This is a carefully considered request. This is urgent. The urgency of military operations is self-evident. The funds for non-military action in Iraq are equally urgent. Most Iraqis welcomed us as liberators and we glowed with the pleasure of that welcome. Now the reality of foreign troops on the streets is starting to chafe. Some Iraqis are beginning to regard us as occupiers and not as liberators. Some of this is inevitable, but faster progress on reconstruction will help. ... Paul Bremer (9/24/2003)
Of the $18.4 billion that Congress appropriated for Iraq more than ten months ago, only $1.14 billion has been disbursed as of September 8. Although we recognize that these funds must not be spent unwisely, this slow pace of reconstruction spending means that we are failing to fully take advantage of one of our most potent tools to influence the direction of Iraq. As Iraqis prepare for elections, they are looking for signs of stability. Few signs of stability are more convincing than successful reconstruction projects that boost the economy, repair infrastructure, or restore municipal services.... Sen. Richard Lugar (9/15/2004)
That really instills confidence in the planning and leadership of this endeavor, doesn't it?