One has only to study this article by David Cloud to recognize that the American Taxpayer is in real trouble. The Wars against Terrorism, which was not supposed to cost even $100 billion, has had Congress appropriate $507 billion to this Fight since 2001. The current special appropriation request allocates $26.6 billion in ‘reconstitution’ to repair and replace equipment used for Y2007 alone; what ever happened to the estimated $8 billion per Year for such Costs a scant few months ago? The new request, coupled with the September grant, will push the cost of the War for Y2007 to around $170 billion.
The chicanery in the current system of Defense appropriations boggles the mind. The Defense budget exceeds the Government spending of most nations; yet, We cannot fight a War with this Appropriation devoted to the design and maintenance of Weapons systems with no realistic expected use in the time-frame of their technical superiority. The Special Appropriations necessary for the actual fighting of Wars do not spring into being in the form of any budget; simply as Calls for more money anytime they run out. It would not be so embarrassing, except that the fighting potential of the Taliban is increasing in Afghanistan, and the fighting capacity of the U.S. military is being matched in Iraq, where Insurgents have yet to surrender the Initiative.
The Democrats must move to control this situation, so quickly getting out of hand. I would advocate an immediate creation of a War Committee, composed equally of Representatives and Senators. The War Committee would sit in continuous session, and tasked as immediate Bursar of all Defense expenditures; payment not to be made, no matter the level of Appropriations scheduled by Congress, until proper usage of the Funds are guaranteed by the requisite department agents. Any other course will lead to a financial debacle, considering how many Hands are in the Till. lgl
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