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| Nethercutt hails Iraq’s recovery |
| 2003-10-15 |
| Rep. George Nethercutt said yesterday that Iraq’s reconstruction is going better than is portrayed by the news media, citing his recent four-day trip to the country. "The story of what we’ve done in the postwar period is remarkable," Nethercutt, R-Wash., told an audience of 65 at a noon meeting at the University of Washington’s Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. "It is a better and more important story than losing a couple of soldiers every day." He added that he did not want any more soldiers to be killed. Nethercutt is a member of the House Appropriations Committee that approved President Bush’s $87 billion request for military and reconstruction expenses in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dan Senor, an adviser to U.S. administrator for Iraq L. Paul Bremer, also spoke to the UW audience -- by phone. A traffic accident kept him from catching a plane in Washington, D.C. Nethercutt and Senor highlighted the return of electricity to Iraq, which now has a higher megawatt output than it did before the war. Reconstruction has targeted schools and hospitals, and the Americans are spending 3,500 percent more on health care than Saddam Hussein did, Senor said. He said the Iraq effort needs the financial support Bush has asked for from Congress. "It gives us the tools to finish the job here," Senor said. Nethercutt said the faster infrastructure rebuilding is completed, the faster the country can take care of itself and the United States can leave. "So in five years or less, we’re out of there," ... Except for the air and army bases we’ll have there courtesy of the treaty we’ll sign with the new Iraqi government that is elected. ... said Nethercutt, who plans to challenge Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., for her seat. "I’m as fiscally conservative as anyone can be ... but I think it is a smart investment for this country to make." He said he has no doubt that weapons of mass destruction are in Iraq, have been in Iraq or that there was a program there to produce them. Many potential weapons sites are awaiting inspection from Americans, he said. "That’s not an excuse, just a reason. It’s not surprising that we haven’t found huge supplies of weapons," Nethercutt said, adding that what inspectors are looking for could fit in a space the size of a two-car garage. Actually it is a surprise, but one that we’ll eventually explain. During a question-and-answer session, some in the audience questioned the need for the United States to deal with the United Nations. I take it that this was not the Al Franken fan club in the audience. "I’ve had my moments where I felt the United Nations was counterproductive to its charter," Nethercutt said. Aida Kouyoumjian, who grew up and attended school in Baghdad, told Nethercutt she was glad the United States did not rely totally on the U.N. for approval. Another audience member, Dan Goldhaber, a professor in the public affairs school at the UW, asked Nethercutt for clear criteria for when the United States should get involved in other countries. Nethercutt said Saddam Hussein provided a good model for threats the nation should confront with its pre-emptive policy. Terrorism attacks that can kill large numbers of people have made pre-emptive action necessary, he said. "We can’t counterpunch anymore," Nethercutt said. Obviously he gets it. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #7 This guy makes sense. |
| Posted by: Atrus 2003-10-15 1:11:50 PM |
| #6 Angie, I never said Patty wanted to spend money in Iraq (clearly she does not - she only wants to The only thing which implies that she does is her own words. I am only pointing out her double standard. And Concerning OBL spending money on day cares, roads, and health care facilities. Patty was talking out of her ass again. (as stated in the the article I pointed to above) OBL only supported some 'charities' who support extreame fundimentalist (sp?) Islamic schools (read: Terrorist and Taliban Training Camps). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-10-15 11:55:46 AM |
| #5 CrazyFool - Don't forget the Day Care Centers! Apparently we did't build enough day care centers for all the working moms on The Arab Street for Patty's liking. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2003-10-15 11:48:37 AM |
| #4 Actually, crazy fool, Patty Murray opposes further spending in Iraq, as I detail here. In short, They Hate Us because we don't placate them with foreign aid, but when it comes time to put her money where her mouth is, suddenly it's more important to spend money at home. I'm guessing it has something to do with Bush. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2003-10-15 11:27:15 AM |
| #3 Terrorism attacks that can kill large numbers of people have made pre-emptive action necessary, he said. "We can’t counterpunch anymore," Nethercutt said. On the contrary, we can counterpunch. The real question is, how many lives are we willing to sacrifice? As far as I'm concerned, the answer to that is ZERO. "He’s been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that." Yep, bin Laden is Murray's wet dream - a walking, talking social program. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-10-15 11:04:46 AM |
| #2 He forgot the part about bin Laden sending his Jihadist friends to raping parties in Sudan |
| Posted by: JFM 2003-10-15 10:04:44 AM |
| #1 I like this guy! He is going to get my vote this election. Anything to get rid of Socialist Patty Murray. BTW: Why isn't Patty saying anything about how we are buildind schools and hospitals in Iraq? She sure did not hesitate to say stuff about Bin Laden building schools (i.e. training camps). From NewsMax : Sen. Murray Praises bin Laden's Good Deeds Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is under fire today for praising terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, leader of the 9/11 attacks that killed thousands of Americans. "We’ve got to ask, why is this man [bin Laden] so popular around the world?" Murray said to pupils Wednesday at a government high school in Vancouver, Wash. "Why are people so supportive of him in many countries ... that are riddled with poverty? "He’s been out in these countries for decades, building schools, building roads, building infrastructure, building day care facilities, building health care facilities, and the people are extremely grateful. We haven't done that. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-10-15 9:08:17 AM |