Tag: War

Training the Iraqi Opposition

The LA Times has a story on efforts by the Bush Administration to get congressional approval for the training of 10,000 members of the Iraqi opposition to help with the looming war. The quoted officials emphasized that this is not a Bay of Pigs-style militia, but rather "support staff" that will assist with the change in regime. The 1998 Iraq Liberation Act provided $97 million for efforts like this, and only $800,000 has been spent. Once Bush formally announces plans for this money, Congress has 15 days to oppose it. Iraqi opposition leaders are predictably delighted about Bush's plans.

Gore, Carter on Iraq

Al Gore made a speech on Monday attacking the Bush Administration's policy on Iraq. Gore suggests that unilateral action on Iraq is damaging the war against Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Most useful Gore soundbite:

"Great nations persevere and then prevail, they do not jump from one unfinished task to another. We should remain focused on the war against terrorism."
Less play for Former President Jimmy Carter, who also came out against the resolution: "It is a radical departure from traditions that have shaped our nation's policy by Democratic and Republican presidents for more than 50 years."

Arab League: Verify

Amr "An attack on Iraq will open the gates of Hell" Moussa, head of the Arab League, through the Jersusalem Post, insists that the UN place inspectors in Iraq to verify the American claims about Iraqi weapons programs. He stops short of endorsing military action, though. He claims that ongoing problems, like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are already destabilizing the region.

Congress Wants Cost of War

The Washington Post is reporting that lawmakers are asking the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office for an estimate of the cost of war in Iraq. The Bush administration had floated numbers between $40 billion and $200 billion, but in his testimony to the Armed Services Committee last week, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld refused to commit to any specific numbers. Lawmakers are getting frustrated with the lack of specific estimates, and WaPo cites unnamed Congressional staff and military experts as being skeptical of any estimates when there are so few specifics to work with. Reconstruction of Iraq, on the other hand, has been estimated at $16 billion a year, and could be completely funded with the sale of seized Iraqi oil.

Congressional Debate Begins on War Resolution

CNN characterized the Democratic response to the President's draft resolution a little more forcefully today: "immediate criticism from Senate Democratic leaders even as they continued to back Bush's contention that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States." CNN also mentions Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Michigan) as saying that both Democrats and Republicans want changes to the language. Levin is specifically worried about unilateralism, saying "I want him to look down the barrel of a gun with the world behind it, so that it's not just the United States versus Saddam, it's the world versus Saddam." Levin is also concerned with the vague language of the resolution, "There needs to be some changes ... it's not even limited to Iraq." Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, likewise cited the use of the word "region" in the resolution, which he considered too broad a mandate. Based on the Republican responses, this language will likely change.

Scott Ritter Credible?

Scott Ritter, former UNSCOM weapons inspector and one of the most visible opponents of war in Iraq, may be in the employ of Saddam Hussein, claims Stephen Hayes of the Weekly Standard. It seems that Ritter was paid US$400,000 by a pro-Iraqi businessman to produce "In Shifting Sands," a documentary on the "Truth About UNSCOM and the Disarming of Iraq".