Issa: State Dept. sitting on $2 billion-plus for embassy security (Budget cut by R myth busted)

Politico ^ | 10/14/12 | JOHN BRESNAHAN

[Snuph]

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) says the State Department is sitting on $2.2 billion that should be spent on upgrading security at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, but the Obama administration will not spend the funds.

Issa made his comment during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation" to discuss the recent attack in Benghazi, Libya, that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead. Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, held a highly partisan hearing on the incident last week.

Issa claims the State Department will not spend the already approved funds because they didn't want to the appearance of needing increased security.

"The fact is, they [the State Department.] are making the decision not to put the security in because they don't want the presence of security," Issa said. "That is not how you do security."

With Republicans turning the Libya into a political issue, Democrats have countered that House GOP leaders actually sought to cut funding for embassy security, which Issa tried to refute.

"You can't always look to [new] money when there's money sitting there," Issa said. "We're going through a 'Mission Accomplished' moment. Eleven years after Sept. 11 [2001], Americans were attacked by terrorists who pre-planned to kill Americans. That happened, and we can't be in denial."

[Snuph]

The Republicans had best do something or it is all over in the near future.

[Uncle Miltie]

Here’s hint: Upgrade security in Muslim countries, or leave them....

I’m okay with either.

[TurboZamboni]

Probably pending a wind farm contract on an embassy in Yemen.

[txrefugee]

You mean ol’ Smilin’ Joe Biden lied??? Say it ain’t so!

[Bon mots]

[Gaffer]

“Sitting on” means that, even in the absence of an approved budget, CRA funding implements 80% of last-approved budgeting. The funds are/were there, then. It is not a ‘Republican’ problem in the blame game......

My guess is that State was holding those funds for some BS Obama enticement.

[tumblindice]

Egyptians need submarines and those mosques don’t build themselves.

[TexasCajun]

The rats are blaming budget cuts by the Republicans.

The budget in question wasn't even taken up by the senate, much less passed into law.

[blueunicorn6]

Nope. Even Hillary Clinton isn’t that stupid. They pulled out the security for a reason. And for goodness sakes, the reason wasn’t because the Ambassador was a homosexual. And they weren’t after him because he was a homosexual. What if al-Qaeda is telling you, “We’d like to come and talk to you about where those missiles are, but we’re afraid of all that security. You might take us prisoner.”?
Obama and Clinton got played like cheap pianos. We’re going to pay some big bucks to get those Libyan missiles and they’ll turn around and use that money to attack us. Be sure to thank your friends and relatives who vote Democrat.