War Supplemental

We just passed a 106.6 billion dollar war supplemental providing for increased funding and support to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The supplemental serves to beef up our efforts in Afghanistan pursuant to the President's outlined "strategy" during a speech he gave in March. The bill is H.R. 2346. The power to make legislate appropriations and revenue bills vests with the House of Representatives exclusively. This is because the House is said to be more representative of the majority (it's true). At any rate, there are thousands of bills introduced and circulated around Congress. The process is long and there are various obstacles bills must overcome before becoming law. This is one of many perpetual checks on power the Founders placed on our form of government. However, the House Committee on Appropriations reported on the original supplemental on May 12, 2009. The bill was cleared for Mr. Obama's signature on June 18, 2009. It took a little over a month for us to write a 106.6 billion dollar check in further funds to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is fine, and I support the troops, but if someone was asking you for money, wouldn't you want to know a little bit more than vague and general descriptions? The bill is online for public view, but I am sure it will go unnoticed.

To illustrate my point, a section of the bill allocates 1.6 billion dollars to support efforts building up Afghanistan's economy and rule of law. I didn't know the rule of law came at such a fixed rate, and as far as an economy is concerned, are we not still in a recession, albeit on the recovery. I agree that we are in the mess and we need to stabalize the region as there is a struggle for power and control of the people's support. But with reports of the present government's corruption and contention with minority groups, it would seem a bit problematic for us to train the country's army if it is ran by a government a good number of folks find corrupt. I almost wish for the days when we would fund insurrections or paramilitaries to overthrow other governments. That's the way you do it. Change is brought upon by 'the people.' Hopefully, Iran will show the Afghans how it's done.

President Obama should tread carefully with this war in Afghanistan. I am certain he knows and there are plenty of intelligent people around him. So I guess we will all see how this turns out. But, it doesn't look pretty.