Playing Games with Lives of American Soldiers

By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl House Appropriations Committee Chairman Congressman David R. Obey recently announced that he would unilaterally block an emergency funding bill for our troops in Iraq, in order to force a change in the administrations policy. Cutting off funding for the troops is a dramatic change in strategy of Democrats, who have up to now, have primarily focused on timetables for troop withdrawals. Congressman Obey was quoted in recent media reports as saying, in reference to the emergency troop-funding bill, Choosing not to move legislation is our strongest card at this point. Well, this is not a card game, and Congress should not be playing with the lives of our troops by cutting off their funding while they are fighting in Iraq. New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici (as reported by the Washington Times) described Obey's threat to block war funds as pretty gutsy. But I don't see how it would work. In the end, you've got to feed the soldiers. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham put it this way: The plan to starve the troops of funds would be cheered by Americas enemies. This would be a blessing to al-Qaeda, which is getting its brains beat out in Iraq. I remember when Bob Dole ran for the White House, and he was trying to make some important points and people didnt appear to be listening to him. At one point, he said, Where is the outrage? That is the question I ask. Where is the outrage about pulling the rug out from under our troops while they are in Iraq trying to do what we have sent them there to do? Chairman Obeys threat isnt just bad policy; it represents a deliberate decision not to support the troops. Its all too common for people to say, We all support the troops, but we disagree with the policy of being in Iraq. But now some have reached the point where, in order to try to change the policy, theyre willing to cut off funding for the troops. This is a very dangerous policy; and it risks the lives of our troops. Its also unfortunate that this threat comes at a time when were seeing progress in Iraq. The Washington Post reported on October 3, 2007, The numbers of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians reported killed across the country last month fell to their lowest levels in more than a year, a sharp decrease in violent deaths that American military officials attribute in part to the thousands of additional soldiers who have arrived here this year. And on the same day, the New York Times reported, The number of violent civilian deaths in Iraq dropped precipitously in September compared with the previous month. So at a time when the strategy of General Petraeus is working, it makes no sense to stop funding the effort. Congress should not play games with the money the troops need in the field. Again, as Senator Domenici said, it is a pretty gutsy move, but in the end, it will not work because you have to feed the soldiers.