April 20, 2004

Following the $$

I've re-read this DoD briefing transcript 4 times, and I still don't fully understand. I know, on general principal, anything federal Govt related is incredibly complex - military related even more so, but it still doesn't make sense.

The Comptroller then consistent with authority provided to the Department of Defense by the Congress says well, we can't give you $700 million because we wouldn't be able to validate that in accordance with our authorities, but there's a portion of this we feel comfortable validating in the context of the authorities towards the global war on terror. Things like fuel, things like some communications, some humanitarian rations. That's consistent with the global war on terror. It's helpful to CENTCOM for whatever purpose whether there was nothing as the Comptroller has described that was specifically approved that was Iraq-exclusive in this first tranche of money, $178 million.

So, it seems to come down to this, as I understand it. Congress lays out some money for Afghanistan and the 'Global war on Terror'. Someone says I want to start working on Iraq, it should cost about 700 Million or so. The Comptroller says 'We can't give you that amount, because it's obviously a specific costs outside of the authority of these funds. However, what we CAN do is let you start buying things that we use in Afghanistan, that you might also use in Iraq'.

I'm fine with all of that, but I don't understand how this can be rationalized as planning for Iraq contingencies, and not seen as 'preparing for an Iraq invasion'. I recognize planning for contingencies requires money. I would expect, however, that the costs would be for intelligence and other planning items, as opposed to fuel and supplies and tangibles which to me signal moving past the 'what if' stage and preparing for the 'when' stage.

None of this, however, seems incredibly important. It's common sense that when Bush addressed the nation to tell us that we were Invading Iraq, the plan for the invasion and the build up to it had been in the works for months. It has to be. You don't roll out an invasion force on a wing and a prayer. You need to build up stocks, activate personnel, shift recourses, do pre-intelligence and million other things I would never think of.

The fact is that, even if the money was used improperly - which is a huge 'IF', I doubt it was done with the intention of hiding it from congress, which seems to be the claim.

It's possible I'm missing something.

Comments:
Posted by Henry at 09:50 AM || Link to me || Category:: Politics, Just Left on