Obama to seek $83.4 billion for Iraq, Afghan wars

classicman · 04-09-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama asked Congress on Thursday for $83.4 billion for U.S. military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pressing for special troop funding that he opposed two years ago when he was senator and George W. Bush was president.

Obama is also requesting $350 million in new funding to upgrade security along the U.S.-Mexico border and to combat narcoterrorists, along with another $400 million in counterinsurgency aid to Pakistan.

"Nearly 95 percent of these funds will be used to support our men and women in uniform as they help the people of Iraq to take responsibility for their own future — and work to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan," Obama wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Interesting article.

TGRR · 04-09-2009, 08:36 PM

Smedley Butler was right.

piercehawkeye45 · 04-10-2009, 08:56 AM

Change!!....

When??

Shawnee123 · 04-10-2009, 09:10 AM

Presto-chango?

Is that what you were expecting?

piercehawkeye45 · 04-10-2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Presto-chango?

Is that what you were expecting?

Shawnee123 · 04-10-2009, 09:26 AM

Shoot, I'll have to wait until I get home to watch it.

Urbane Guerrilla · 04-11-2009, 02:35 AM

Welp, there's your change for you. Obama the candidate is finding out what Obama the President has to actually do to act in the nation's interest, and humanity's not so incidentally.

I'd rather hoped he would.

TheMercenary · 04-11-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman

Interesting article.

Imagine that. Funny how a person running for president can change his tune after he is read-in on all the facts concerning security and national defense issues.

classicman · 04-11-2009, 12:28 PM

You mean after he gets a chance to make an informed decision? I'm actually ok with the banter beforehand. I just hope Obama is smart enough to make the right call after he gets "all the info"

Was this in the budget or is this an additional expense not already accounted for?

TheMercenary · 04-11-2009, 12:35 PM

Separate budget. Not accounted for previously in discussions about the economy but it has been looming large on the edge of the room.

classicman · 04-11-2009, 12:42 PM

So we are adding this? After all the talk of how wrong Bush was to not include the war in his budget, this looks an awful lot like the same thing.

TheMercenary · 04-11-2009, 12:43 PM

Yes, added or adding as the case may be.

04-11-2009, 01:32 PM

I dont understand the issue here.

Yes, this supplemental to the 09 budget is not in the budget that was adopted last year. 09 was Bush's last budget and did not include war funding (none of his budgets ever included war funding) and Bush's last supplemental (non-budget request) was only through May.

Starting with the 2010 budget, Iraq and Afghanistan war costs are budgeted. That is the difference.

The plan for withdrawing most troops from Iraq has been extended from the 16 month campaign pledge to 18 months, after consulting with the commanders in the field. It could very well change again, depending on conditions on the ground.

I still dont like doubling down in Afghanistan, but at least there is a plan now.

TGRR · 04-12-2009, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Imagine that. Funny how a person running for president can change his tune after he is read-in on all the facts concerning security and national defense issues.

Or after he's been taken to visit "the Kennedy Room".

TGRR · 04-12-2009, 01:14 AM

Also, why the hell would a senator vote for anything, if he isn't told why he's being asked to vote for it? Any senator that would vote for something without knowing the facts should be run out of congress. Secrecy be damned.

Just saying.

04-09-2009, 08:36 PM	#2
TGRR Horrible Bastard Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: High Desert, Arizona Posts: 1,103	Smedley Butler was right. __________________ What can we do to help you stop screaming?

04-10-2009, 08:56 AM	#3
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	Change!!.... When?? __________________ I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all.

04-10-2009, 09:10 AM	#4
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Presto-chango? Is that what you were expecting? __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

04-10-2009, 09:26 AM	#6
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	Shoot, I'll have to wait until I get home to watch it. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

04-11-2009, 02:35 AM	#7
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	Welp, there's your change for you. Obama the candidate is finding out what Obama the President has to actually do to act in the nation's interest, and humanity's not so incidentally. I'd rather hoped he would. __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.

04-11-2009, 12:28 PM	#9
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	You mean after he gets a chance to make an informed decision? I'm actually ok with the banter beforehand. I just hope Obama is smart enough to make the right call after he gets "all the info" Was this in the budget or is this an additional expense not already accounted for? __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

04-11-2009, 12:35 PM	#10
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Separate budget. Not accounted for previously in discussions about the economy but it has been looming large on the edge of the room. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

04-11-2009, 12:42 PM	#11
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	So we are adding this? After all the talk of how wrong Bush was to not include the war in his budget, this looks an awful lot like the same thing. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

04-11-2009, 12:43 PM	#12
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Yes, added or adding as the case may be. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

04-11-2009, 01:32 PM	#13
Redux Guest Posts: n/a	I dont understand the issue here. Yes, this supplemental to the 09 budget is not in the budget that was adopted last year. 09 was Bush's last budget and did not include war funding (none of his budgets ever included war funding) and Bush's last supplemental (non-budget request) was only through May. Starting with the 2010 budget, Iraq and Afghanistan war costs are budgeted. That is the difference. The plan for withdrawing most troops from Iraq has been extended from the 16 month campaign pledge to 18 months, after consulting with the commanders in the field. It could very well change again, depending on conditions on the ground. I still dont like doubling down in Afghanistan, but at least there is a plan now. Last edited by Redux; 04-11-2009 at 01:53 PM.

04-12-2009, 01:14 AM	#15
TGRR Horrible Bastard Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: High Desert, Arizona Posts: 1,103	Also, why the hell would a senator vote for anything, if he isn't told why he's being asked to vote for it? Any senator that would vote for something without knowing the facts should be run out of congress. Secrecy be damned. Just saying. __________________ What can we do to help you stop screaming?

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