NOTE: About 72nd TCS

Among those on the inside of both blogs, it is no secret that "72nd TCS" is the screen name in Veteran-American Voices, VAV for short, of former Old War Dog John Werntz. Bill Faith has generously offered to John the opportunity to cross-post [subject to Bill's prior approval] on OWD. The grizzled old mutt, 72nd TCS, is proud and happy to hang around on the fringes of the pack. He greets his former mates with a cheery yip, and looks forward to sniffing out friendships among the recent arrivals. That said...

I very nearly choked on this one. From The New York Times of 3-31,  the story bears the title "Army's War Funds Can Last Through July, Report Says" and is written by Carl Hulse and Thom Shanker. Please relax and read on. I am not about to launch into my standard rant: "Thank you, NYT, for telling the Dems exactly how long they need to stall, plus informing the Sunni insurgents and Al-Q jihadists how long they have to hold out in order to win big." The reporters are doing their job--informing the public about the probable consequences of a presidential veto of the supplemental military appropriations bill now headed into a House-Senate conference. Parenthetically, I note that the editors of the Washington Post appear not to have deemed the prospect of imminent exhaustion of funds to support the troops to be at all newsworthy. No trace on the front page, nor in the editorials. "Ho hum, lookee here, Georgetown basketball is going great guns."

The reporters discuss those consequences at some length, and the prospects may be bright for political opponents of President Bush, who seem to be rubbing their hands in glee, anticipating an American defeat that will be heard 'round the world. But they are exceedingly gloomy for any level-headed patriot who awaits with dread a country sickened by an epidemic of Carterite malaise that, comparatively, would make the post-Vietnam trauma look like robust health. The return to these shores of defense forces,  justifiably convinced that they have been robbed of the victory they earned by their magnificent efforts, does not inspire complacency.

Some relevant passages from the Hulse-Shanker article follow.

WASHINGTON, March 30 — The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has estimated that the Army has enough budget flexibility to pay for its military operations through July in the event that a standoff between the White House and Congress over Iraq holds up the money the administration says it needs for the war effort. ...

Actually, the July target is a best-case scenario. It rests upon congressional approval of various gimmicks of budget sleight-of-hand, shifting funds between accounts and skimping on important purchases and maintenance expenditures to free up additional money. Strictly speaking, existing funds will run out by June 1.

The document, dated Wednesday, said that based on Pentagon figures and estimates, the Army now has enough money to last through May. ...

Meanwhile, the Senate Majority leader, Harry Reid, is still stuck on stupid,taking partisan shots at Bush:

'This study confirms that the president is once again attempting to mislead the public and create an artificial atmosphere of anxiety,' Mr. Reid said. 'He is using scare tactics to defeat bipartisan legislation that would change course in Iraq.' ...

Hagel of Nebraska and Smith of Oregon make it bipartisan?  Note that if those two had not defected, the roll-call would have ended in a 49-49 tie, leaving Vice President Cheney to decide the issue.

Two brief notes in closing, both dealing with the sad state of DC politics. First, hearing the word "bipartisan" is enough to make the well-informed and even moderately well-heeled citizen fear for the country and clutch wallet and checkbook.  Second, the toxic atmosphere chokes us all but our troops -- and the nation's future -- are the main victims.

Contributed by 72nd TCS on March 31, 2007 at 01:18 PM in Current Affairs, Dem Dumbness, G W Bush, Iraq, John "72nd TCS" Werntz, Politics, War? What war? | Permalink

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