Congress Rips Millions In War Waste

WASHINGTON -- As President George W. Bush attempts to line up support for a troop surge in Iraq and $1.2 billion in new reconstruction aid, Democratic lawmakers in both the House and Senate said they planned hearings or legislation to address spiraling war costs.

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"Our troops are going without even as government funds go to pay for such boondoggles as an Olympic-size swimming pool in an unused training camp," said a statement issued by the Senate Democratic Communications Center directed by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"As the president is planning to send 21,500 more American service members into Iraq and asking for $1.2 billion in new reconstruction aid, Americans have every reason to question his spending priorities," it said.

The quarterly audit released Wednesday by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, found the $300 billion U.S. war and reconstruction effort continues to be plagued with waste, spiraling violence and corruption.

The State Department responded to the report by saying that it would make sure any taxpayer money sent to the Baghdad government will be "well spent" on the projects intended.

The State Department said Iraqi officials have already acted on some of their suspicions and have held a few trials for fraud and embezzlement.

But a co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group said these are the sorts of things that do the most to hurt efforts to succeed in Iraq. Former Rep. Lee Hamilton said it's something that "turns all people off."

The report was released as debate nears over a variety of resolutions and bills that attempt to grapple with the war's human and financial costs.

Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., have sponsored a nonbinding resolution stating the troop buildup is "not in the national interest."

Sens. John Warner, R-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Norm Coleman, R-Minn., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., have sponsored a nonbinding resolution stating Senate opposition to the hefty buildup, but remaining open to a small number of additional forces and explicitly noting the president's authority over U.S. forces.

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. have a nonbinding resolution that would express support for the added troops, but outline benchmarks the Iraqi government should meet.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has filed legislation demanding U.S. combat forces leave Iraq by spring 2008, but it would not cut funding.

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., has filed legislation requiring congressional approval if troop levels exceed levels before the troop buildup, or around 130,000, but it also would not cut funding.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., has filed legislation pulling funding for the war after six months.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is sponsoring a nonbinding resolution stating support for Bush's plan, provided that the Iraqi government "makes substantial progress toward meeting the commitments it has made" including assuming control by November 2007.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., has filed legislation protecting war funds from being cut.

In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright urged Bush to go beyond a planned buildup of U.S. forces in Iraq to develop a comprehensive strategy for the area.

They called for wide-ranging talks with Iraq's neighbors, including Iran and Syria, and increased autonomy for clashing Iraqi groups. The administration has brushed aside the proposal to engage Syria and Iran.