December 14, 2007

Congress Does Half The Right Thing -- In The Dark

Congress has finally authorized spending for the Iraq war without the demand to end the success of the Petraeus strategy. On a 90-3 vote in the Senate, the defense authorization bill finally left Congress and will make its way to the White House, with the money itself still not appropriated. That may take another Friday evening to produce:

The Democratic-led Congress authorized more Iraq war spending on Friday, sending President Bush a defense bill requiring no change in strategy after failing again to impose a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals.

The defense policy bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, also expanded the size of the U.S. Army and set conditions on the Bush administration’s plan to build a missile defense system in Europe.

The measure already had passed the House and now goes to Bush, who is expected to sign it into law. It authorizes Pentagon programs expected to cost $506.9 billion during fiscal 2008, which began in October.

This only moves the ball halfway. The DoD now has authorization to spend the money, including $189 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. They just don't have the money. Congress still needs to send the money to the Pentagon, almost three months into the current fiscal year.

Next week, Republicans will try to finish funding the Department of Defense and the troops in the war zones. Democrats will try again to attach demands to replace the current strategy of aggressive engagement against terrorists and building stability in Iraq with their preferred strategy of surrender and retreat. That effort will end as this effort did, and likely with the same weekend-eve capitulation to reality. (via Michelle Malkin)

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It’s about time.  They funded the war without strings.  Good on them. Captain’s Quarters says they were half right. Michelle Malkin decideds to insult them for doing the right thing. ... [Read More]

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