Another $33 Billion for War in Afghanistan Today?

REBECCA GRIFFIN
Political director of Peace Action West, Griffin said today: "It's happening now. After weeks of stalling and amidst growing dissent from the public and Congress, the House will vote on $33 billion for escalating the war in Afghanistan.

"The McChrystal debacle has fueled a larger debate about the failing counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. Thirty members of Congress wrote to Nancy Pelosi asking to delay a vote and raising concerns about the possibility that the military could ask for even more troops. Another group wrote to Obama calling for an end date for the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Rep. John Conyers has started a new Out of Afghanistan Caucus in Congress to keep the momentum going."

Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, Rep. Michael Honda, Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Alan Grayson just released a statement: "Progressives Issue Challenge to Conservatives on War Spending: If You're Serious About Fiscal Responsibility, Oppose Afghan Funds," which states: "Our challenge: if you oppose deficit spending, debt dependency on China, cuts to Social Security, and are concerned about a debt-threat to our national security, then oppose this supplemental war funding request."

Also see: "McGovern, Obey Lead House Showdown on Afghanistan War."

Background: Obama had stated there would be no more supplementals. He wrote in April 2009: "This is the last planned war supplemental. Since September 2001, the Congress has passed 17 separate emergency funding bills totaling $822.1 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After 7 years of war, the American people deserve an honest accounting of the cost of our involvement in our ongoing military operations.

"We must break that recent tradition and include future military costs in the regular budget so that we have an honest, more accurate, and fiscally responsible estimate of Federal spending."