Reconstruction money for Iraq: Loan of Grant?

[mburbank]

The senate voted to convert 20 of the 87 billion dollar Bush Iraq request into a loan.

I wanted them to vote no, but not for this inane reason. If we loan them the money, we lend credence to the argument taht we went to Iraq for the oil. If we loan them the money, we deny the responsability of an occupying power. If we loan them the money to rebuild things we blew up, we increase their hostility.

The senate should vote no because their is little or no accounting of how that money will be spent. They should vote no becuase two days ago the SRC stated that we have enough money budgeted right now to take us all the way through next May, indicating W. wants the money now so he won't have to ask for it during an election year. They should vote no becuase the Pentagon is giving out no bid cost plus contracts and buying $4000 cell phones that don't work. The senate should vote now because strapped as we are for cash as a country right now, we shouldn't be throwing money away or even explaining where it's being spent. The senate should vote no because we the administration won't even concider rolling back the tax cut and insists on passing these debts on to my kids. The senate should vote no because there's no exit stratgey. The senate should vote no becuase UN resolution or not, we haven't done any of the things that might get other countries to pony up the men and money we need to get ourselves out of this mess.

The loan/grant battle is a canard and can only make things worse. The only reason for this startegy is it appeals to republicans enough to get them to peel away from the administration. Better to loose the fight and get the points across than win and make things worse. Again, the democrats prove themsleves oportunistic and spineless.