2008 Woodie Awards
Enough is enough for Obama
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: News
Senate panel votes to block money for Iraq reconstruction
1 WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate panel has agreed to block U.S. funding for Iraq reconstruction projects worth more than $2 million and to try to force Baghdad to cover the costs of training and equipping the country's security forces.
The provision, included in a 2009 defense policy bill approved this week by the Senate Armed Services Committee, comes as Democrats draft a similar provision within separate legislation that would cover this year's war spending.
The efforts are part of the latest push on Capitol Hill to get Iraq to spend more of its own money and spare U.S. taxpayers. Democrats and many Republicans say it is unfair that Iraq is looking at pulling in as much as $70 billion in oil revenues this year while Americans grapple with soaring fuel prices at the pump.
The defense policy bill, which has not been approved by the full Senate, would not cut off smaller rebuilding projects. It specifically supports a program that allows military commanders to spend money on emergency relief projects, as well as an effort that dispatches civilian reconstruction teams to work with local provincial officials.
The bill would require the administration to work with Baghdad to obligate its own money for smaller reconstruction projects before U.S. money is used.
Obama tries to put the minister controversy to rest
2 WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama and his wife said Thursday the public is tired of hearing about incendiary remarks by their former pastor, as they sought to put the controversy that has rocked his presidential campaign to rest.
"We hear time and time again voters are tired of this," Michelle Obama said in an interview the couple gave to NBC's "Today" show.
"They don't want to hear about this division, they want to know what are we going to do to move beyond these issues," she said. "And what made me feel proud of Barack in this situation is that he is trying to move us as a nation beyond these conversations that divide."
1 WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate panel has agreed to block U.S. funding for Iraq reconstruction projects worth more than $2 million and to try to force Baghdad to cover the costs of training and equipping the country's security forces.
The provision, included in a 2009 defense policy bill approved this week by the Senate Armed Services Committee, comes as Democrats draft a similar provision within separate legislation that would cover this year's war spending.
The efforts are part of the latest push on Capitol Hill to get Iraq to spend more of its own money and spare U.S. taxpayers. Democrats and many Republicans say it is unfair that Iraq is looking at pulling in as much as $70 billion in oil revenues this year while Americans grapple with soaring fuel prices at the pump.
The defense policy bill, which has not been approved by the full Senate, would not cut off smaller rebuilding projects. It specifically supports a program that allows military commanders to spend money on emergency relief projects, as well as an effort that dispatches civilian reconstruction teams to work with local provincial officials.
The bill would require the administration to work with Baghdad to obligate its own money for smaller reconstruction projects before U.S. money is used.
Obama tries to put the minister controversy to rest
2 WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama and his wife said Thursday the public is tired of hearing about incendiary remarks by their former pastor, as they sought to put the controversy that has rocked his presidential campaign to rest.
"We hear time and time again voters are tired of this," Michelle Obama said in an interview the couple gave to NBC's "Today" show.
"They don't want to hear about this division, they want to know what are we going to do to move beyond these issues," she said. "And what made me feel proud of Barack in this situation is that he is trying to move us as a nation beyond these conversations that divide."
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