He introduced an amendment to the emergency appropriations that would turn over reconstruction and USAID over to the State Department "where it belongs."
State Department wrote a nasty note and said they wouldn't do it. Other Senator against the amendment said this was from the President on down..
Leahy really angry.Said that military overstretched, had no plan for reconstruction, that 8 page "detailed" plan from Bremer was only given to repugs...
Other Senator says this will endanger our troops...So Leahy started calling him "my good friend from Virginia" until he cooled down...
State Department - who's going to be responsible. Far more money being spent in Iraq than here....
3. Other Senator said things were going so well in Iraq....
Nasty move that Leahy got undercut and the State Department won't do what the State Department is supposed to do....gotta keep this a military occupation...no civilians wanted!!
Leahy said maybe they should reduce the State Department appropriations!! One of his big arguments was that Iraqis would be more likely to cooperate with the State Department and know that this was not going to be a long occupation.
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