Senators press administration on Iraq

[UpInArms]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/18/iraq.congress.ap/

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It's impossible to say precisely how long a large U.S. military force will have to stay in Iraq after power has been handed back to the people there, the No. 2 Pentagon official said Tuesday.

"Next year or year and a half will be so critical. That is time it will take to stand up Iraqi security" forces that are fully trained, equipped and organized and to elect a government to take over from the interim group on June 30, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

<snip>

Setting the tone for Tuesday's hearing, Sen. Dick Lugar said: "With lives being lost and billions of dollars being spent in Iraq, the American people must be confident that we have carefully thought through an Iraq policy that will optimize our prospects for success."

The Indiana Republican is chairman of the committee.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Delaware, said the campaign "is losing the support of the Iraqi people" and that the "window of opportunity" for American support is closing as well.

...lots more...

[gratuitous]

1. Dog and pony show

They'll furrow their brows, harrumph self-importantly, then vote to give Stupidhead another $50 billion, no strings attached.

[cliss]

2. Would you have faith in this guy?

He has gotten $200 billion dollars and laid waste hundreds of lives. The ENTIRE WORLD is in an uproar. Even the Vatican yesterday said this "was the work of barbarians".

And this man wants $25 billion more, with no accounting of how it is spent. No invoicing, no details.

"Just trust us".

After all this?