Rice, Rumsfeld Defend War Spending
March 9, 2006 — -- It was the first time since the Iraq War started that a defense secretary and a secretary of state had testified before Congress. You'd think Iraq would be the only thing on everyone's mind. But no. They also took questions from senators on some of their pet issues, like Polish entry visas, the Dubai port sale and the Pentagon's alleged surveillance of anti-war protestors in Vermont.
Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleezza Rice went before the Senate Appropriations Committee to press for quick passage of the $65 billion spending bill that would continue to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. For added firepower, they brought along Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace and Gen. John Abizaid, the general commanding officer all U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Senators Plug Their Agendas
It looked as if this hearing would be business as usual. Anytime there's a top administration official testifying on Iraq, there's always an anti-war protestor who gets escorted out of the room for disrupting the hearing. Today was no exception. A protestor leaped to his feet just as Secretary Rice began her opening statement. As usual, Capitol police escorted him out and released him shortly thereafter.
After the officials' entreaties for funding, senators began their questioning. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, known for pork largesse in his home state, peppered the generals on who was going to make sure the funds would be properly spent. After that, the hearing became an opportunity for senators to state their opinions on the Dubai port sale.
Republican senators urged the panel to state their opinions on the Dubai deal, knowing full well they'd hear favorable responses. Repeatedly, Rice, Rumsfeld, Pace and Abizaid explained how valuable an ally the United Arab Emirates has been in the war on terror.
Sen. Byron Borgan, D-S.D., told the committee he would introduce a bill identical to the controversial amendment the House attached to the Iraq bill last night.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., took the opportunity to ask Secretary Rice about her interest in seeing Poland granted access to the visa waiver program that allows travelers from 27 European countries to enter the United States. without visas. Mikulski noted how great it would be to include the Poles in the program, because "they're valuable allies, and they've shared in the burden." Poland has contributed thousands of troops to the coalition effort in Iraq. Rice concurred and told Mikulski she hoped it would happen soon.
Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., questioned Rumsfeld about the Pentagon's reputed domestic surveillance of anti-war activists in his home state. A frustrated Leahy told Rumsfeld he had only received Pentagon form letters in response to his questions. Anticipating the question, well-prepared Rumsfeld staffers gave the defense secretary a written response that explained the Pentagon became involved as a matter of course when law enforcement passed on information about anti-war protests at two recruiting facilities.
Rumsfeld's answers didn't satisfy Leahy, who continued to press the defense secretary about press reports of Pentagon surveillance on a grander scale. Leahy finished by joking sarcastically that he could save the government some money by speaking out against the war on the Senate floor and "you can watch it on C-Span and I'll save you money."
The hearing audience laughed appreciatively.
Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, used his committee time to expound on the importance of agriculture in the past and the future of Iraq. Bennett said that before Saddam Hussein came to power, Iraq was not a "petro state" but a major food exporter. Hussein's regime reversed that to focus all attention on the sale of oil, he said. Rice agreed with Bennett's assessment and said it would be important to rebuild that agricultural sector to diversify Iraq's economy.
You never know what you'll learn at a congressional hearing.