[Vision2020] Congress OKs $20 Million for Victory Parties

[Tom Hansen]

>From CNN.com -

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War plans: Congress OKs $20 mil for victory parties

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The military's top generals have warned Iraq is on the
cusp of a civil war and that U.S. troops must remain in large numbers until
at least next spring. But if the winds suddenly blow a different direction,
Congress is ready to celebrate with a $20 million victory party.

Lawmakers included language in this year's defense spending bill, approved
last week, allowing them to spend the money. The money for "commemoration of
success" in Iraq and Afghanistan was originally tucked into last year's
defense measure, but went unspent amid an uptick in violence in both
countries that forced the Pentagon to extend tours of duty for thousands of
troops.

Republicans have yet to claim responsibility for the provision. Democrats
say it was likely added by the Senate's majority Republicans, and less than
five weeks from congressional elections are pointing to it as another
example of where the GOP has gone astray handling the war in Iraq.

"If the Bush administration is planning victory celebrations, Americans
deserve to know what their plan is to get us to a victory in Iraq," said
Rebecca Kirszner, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid,
D-Nevada.

Carolyn Weyforth, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist,
R-Tennessee, said, "Republicans are confident we will be victorious in the
ongoing war in terror, and we look forward to a time when those funds can be
used to honor the men and women who have risked and given their lives."

Under the language, the president could "designate a day of celebration" to
honor troops serving in the two wars. The president also could call on the
nation "to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities" and
issue awards to troops who have served honorably.

The Pentagon could spend up to $20 million of its $532 billion budget in
2007 for the commemoration, minus any private contributions it might receive
for such an event.

The money will be available for the 2007 budget year, which began October 1.

Some 140,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, with a drawdown not expected until
at least early next year.

About 20,000 more are in Afghanistan. Last year, Bush administration and
Pentagon officials had hoped thousands of troops could be brought home
before the November 7 elections.

Proclaiming victory in the Iraq war has already proven to be tricky
business.

President Bush was slammed by critics for delivering his "Mission
Accomplished" speech in May 2003 aboard an aircraft carrier. While troops
had successfully stormed Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein's regime in
Baghdad, the fight over control in the nation against a violent insurgency
had just begun.

Vice President Dick Cheney also was ridiculed for suggesting last year that
the insurgency was in its "final throes."

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Question:  By what standards is President Bush measuring the Iraqi civil war
to be a victory?

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho

"I think if you are going to attack someone in public, you need to at least
be willing to meet with them in public in a debate or discussion format,
otherwise you will rightfully earn the term of a yellow-belly."

- Donovan Arnold (October 4, 2006)