CSPAN....Supplemental....Rummy asking for $87B..on NOW

Byrd on now...

Rummy opened by telling the committee how much 911 cost and therefore it is necessary and "yes" we have the means.

everyone else wants to compare to WWII

Bryd says this war is nothing like that

Byrd says all this is in secrecy and "rush-rush"

That's why Bryd was talking about it.

Byrd....going off on $20+ Billion...

$87B is for more than building bridges...says trying to build deomcracy is an "enormous commitment to Iraq"

"We need to sahre this with Amrican people before we act"

US people have never been asked ....going off on Rummy ...

Says "this is all constitutional...under article one...seven to nine hearings will reflect the role of the congress"

Bryd interrupts...no mandate to rebuild

Rummy ...we have 130,000 troops providing security...goal is to turn over...via a 7 pt plan and passing of soverignty...

Bryd interrupts....building democracy again...the american have never been told this.

Rummy .... says this is an investment in security for future....poltical and economic side..

Rummy says we were told....and we can't turn it over to another dictator.

Byrd...not letting up...what would we do with deomocrcy if it takes a wrong turn?

Rummy...pres. make's it clear..blah..blah..blah

Byrd saying "you didnt answer my question!"...Rummy looks shaky!YEEHAWWWW
and Byrd is pissed off...!!

What to do?

:shrug:

Republicans trying to make *'s "policy" look real.

A protester was cutting up on Bremer too. What a day!

the chairman didn't know what to do - it sounded really stupid to complain about Byrd going 7 minutes over his time in a discussion about $87B.

Rummy - we are paying countries "to help" who don't have funds. He says this creates less of a burden.

Rummy says this is over a billion.

The unaccounted-for $1.5 billion monthly is going for bribes to other countries? I wonder if Time magazine will be on this like white on rice, or if they'll continue to be mesmerized by Rumsfeld's mastery of bullshit?

Gen Myers agreeing how much it helps and how wonderful everyone is doing.

Troops are all over the theatre

Q: do the iraq's have the fortitude to see this though (yes..that
s the question)....

A: YES...they can do it./...with our help.

both today. I have C-Span 1 and 2, neither are airing them this am, maybe they will air them tonight.
MSNBC broke in with a short clip of the protestor in the Bremer hearing and about 5 min. of Byrd being sniped by Stevens, things looked pretty hot at both hearings.

$390M for another diviion...imapct if we did NOT do this?

Rummy: we get less support....not sure what would happen if no $$$. The funds relate to a 2nd division...they need "encouragemen" .

$1.?B for more forces....Rummy can't answer...someting about Pakistan support (bases, fuel...reimburse)

what type of forces ...blah blah blah...

Rummy: invest in IRAQ so they take over the security

Rep Ques: If not sucessful in getting others to join...do we need US reserves?

Myers: avoids question....says it's an option...maybe if enough Iraq's...loooking at options...and options for reserves...

Ques: Are we going to reduce forces?

Gen: most important element is the Iraq's taking care of security..polic forces and paramilitary...need to get them up to pseed...if so..we can bring ofrce home over time..maybe next year..if no spike in violence

thinks we will suport...want to lighten the burden...blah...blah...blah (WTF is a serious question)

Talking to hear himself talk....amazing.

Q: can we structure other...loans or oil...?

Rummy: being looked at...concern is $200B of exsting obligations or debt...modest oil revenue...have immediate needs ...US having a donor confernece....goal of private sector investing...he say's it would be addiontional burden to them.....

Q: $200B spent by a tyrant...can we start anew (wtf?) he is rambling. Issue of unilateralism....no UN support...he has a feeling that (french bashing now) that we need more cooperation.

This is a question..? Says US dosn't need to apologize to UN? (this is bullshit)

we tried to get eveyone involved...President tried ...and yesterday pres tried...that why he was there....

Rummy is going off on value of UN resolution if Iraq can igonore....


(what a crock of shit)

he saying how this is an assault on UN prinicpals....not complimeting the pres...not helpful to military...trying to connect Iraq to 911 ...let's get away from all the crap

"Pres Bush (I) had a colation...this is a manpower supplmental....if they had thier constitution today...they still would be blowing up each other for years on end"

Saying this is going to be tough..."Sept of next year is not going to fly if they are still there...how can you do it..? Complaining about paying other countries to play....we are destroying our national guard and reserves...military taking on our ploitcal mistakes"

"no weapons found...people killing us everyday...don't say we've gotten rid of everyone...and we are getting shot"

"we got political problem -- not a money problem"... pres is not listening to others

I can't get CSpan3 on my computer. Thanks for transcribing! I'd love to have seen Rummy's pinched little scowl when Hollings said:

".military taking on our ploitcal mistakes"

"no weapons found...people killing us everyday...don't say we've gotten rid of everyone...and we are getting shot"

"we got political problem -- not a money problem"... pres is not listening to others"

Rummy: Thinks it's an Iraq manpower supplemental. Zero to 66,000 Iraq's in 4.5 months...goal is to keep investing in this

Hollings said: he was mislead...alum tubes,,,thought he were doing this for ISRAEL...we were told mushroom cloud etc... no 911 connections


Gen jumps in cuts him off: we are successful...different opinions before the war...center of glbal war on terror...blah..blah..blah...

Hollings pissed....you miss the point...political problem...

the guarantor of security for the Iraqi people". What!! who gives a flying f&^k what we desire. We ARE responsible for the security of Iraq while we are the occupying power. Asshole!!!

Jay

military did a wonderful job....everthing wrong now...but he says they are wrong....we are doing wonderful....

saying NYT is reporting good news....points to a poll...says it's better now...2/3rds expect their plives to be better since saddam is gone

(so now we do our budgets based on polls?)

This is the state of our leadership and the repugs own the majority...

This is an "ass kissfest"...terror...terror...$$$....$$$....

I'm out.

Leahy (dem) - going off on no 911 connectio to iraq...but saudi...how they are protected...hopes we are not paying off saudi.

WWII comaprisions (Leahy)
Instead of photo op's Eisenhower,,,30 day's of hearing etc...bipartisan...one year authorizations...comparing to Marshall plan vs this is NOT the same.

getting for their contributions...total cost was suppose to be $50-60B...an oil would cover...."this didn't work"

Leahy: "Everyone supports troops..not roads, schools, prisons.etc...we need to know alot more"

Leahy: rep/dems should request funds for "our troops" and their health care needs...Tricare.

Rummy: says it's only for war on terror...not for tricare...
all debt payments deffered til 2004 for Iraq...rummy says saudi is working with US and they are focusing on this problem. Rummy says that Pres did say "major combat is over"...Rummy defedning small countries...says it's all proprortionate and be greatful...we need the prisons....he's says that prisoners were released and prisions destroyed....and looting destryoed....so all needs to be rebuild...