Posted on 11/15/2007 1:06:21 PM PST by SmithL
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that unless Congress passes funding for the Iraq war within days, he will direct the Army and Marine Corps to begin developing plans to lay off employees and terminate contracts early next year.
Gates, who met with members of Congress on Wednesday, said that he does not have the money or the flexibility to move funding around to adequately cover the costs of the continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"There is a misperception that this department can continue funding our troops in the field for an indefinite period of time through accounting maneuvers, that we can shuffle money around the department. This is a serious misconception," Gates told reporters at the Pentagon.
As a result, he said that he is faced with the undesirable task of preparing to cease operations at Army bases by mid-February, and lay off about 100,000 defense department employees and an equal number of civilian contractors. A month later, he said, similar moves would have to be made by the Marines.
Some members of Congress believe the Pentagon can switch enough money to cover the war accounts, Gates said. But he added that he only has the flexibility to transfer about $3.7 billion — which is just one week's worth of war expenses. Lawmakers, he said, may not understand how complicated and restrictive the situation is.
House Democrats said Thursday that the Pentagon may have to forgo a war spending bill this year because the lawmakers won't bankroll Iraq any further without tying the money to troop withdrawals.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday that if Congress is unable to pass legislation setting a timetable on the war, which is the most likely scenario, it will probably drop the issue...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I have a liberal neighbor who my soon end up being a conservative as he is livid about how the Democrats are "acting like a bunch of spoiled brats who couldn't care less about this country".
This ought to call their bluff. They are not going to want to be remembered for loss of jobs on top of everything else.
So what is the ratio of Rats working in the Defense Department to republicans?:
9 to 1
19 to 1
50 to 1
100 to 1
How many of these rats belong to federal unions?
Avoiding this on the Hill at all costs is going to cost the Demoncrats the next elections, mark my words! Don’t mess with out troops!!! I don’t care WHAT you think about the war! DON’T MESS WITH OUT MILITARY. PERIOD. >:-(
He should cancel all DOD contracts in Murtha’s district, for starters.
They should start with pelosi’s airplane.
Oy.
OUT=OUR
Couldn’t agree more.
Every American with an ounce of patriotism has to recognize that the dems are attempting to reduce our effectiveness in killing those who wish to do us harm.
Bottom line - the future of our great country and the lives of many are at stake.
True Americans will not let this stand..
If the dims think they can cause people to lose their jobs and still get elected, they have deluded themselves beyond all hope of redemption.
If the U.S. Department of Defense wants to get this funding authorization passed within 24 hours, they should simply start closing military facilities and laying off civilian military employees in Democratic Congressional districts.
“They should start with pelosi’s airplane.”
I think you left something out of that sentence:
They should start with pelosi’s airplane mechanic, spares, a half load of fuel, half lube, and a Wahabi Arab pilot.
There fixed it.
Go Robert Gates!! Start with San Francisco!
As a former Government contractor in the Bay Area, I can assure you that you're a decade and a half too late.
That’s good and bad news. Thanks.
As for the ratio I can’t say but, they all belong to the Federal Employee Union.
There has to be a very high ratio or Gates would not be playing hardball like this with the rats in congress.
The Federal Employee Union thugs will be making house calls on rats playing game with the defense budget
From one Texan to another... I agree with you 110%! The Democrats have really done it now!
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