Posted on 09/24/2009 10:25:43 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
The U.S. State Department said it is rethinking a decision to give $2.5 million in aid to Libya, including to foundations run by the Libyan leader's sons, after lawmakers on Thursday asked it to cancel the plan.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, two U.S. lawmakers said they were unwilling to give the aid because of the warm reception Tripoli recently gave a Libyan official convicted of involvement in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
They also accused Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi of showing "flagrant disrespect" for the 270 victims of the bombing during his visit to New York this week to attend the U.N. General Assembly.
"The celebration that President (Gaddafi) recently held in honor of ... the only man convicted in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, showed just how little remorse (he) has for the terrorist attacks that killed 270 civilians," Rep. Nita Lowey and Rep. Kay Granger wrote in a letter obtained by Reuters.
Lowey, a New York Democrat, chairs the influential House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for the State Department and U.S. foreign assistance. Granger, of Texas, is the subcommittee's top Republican.
While the State Department could reject their request, as a practical matter it is unlikely to do so because of the power that the appropriations committee has over its budget.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the department was rethinking the funding, which two sources said had included $200,000 each for two foundations run by Gaddafi's sons.
One source said one foundation promoted civil society and the other women's empowerment.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
This administration has no plan and is winging it day by day.
The list, ping
I am quite sure Obama has a plan, however, the administration like the people are unaware. Sheeple.
Only a dem could believe that.
The Jihadist sons and relatives of these Mullah mafia's/dictators in backwards Islamic countries all over must have oodles of fun and enjoy gut busting laughter when they get together to think up ways to gain access to US foreign aid.
FLIP-FLOP Alert!
As an energy exporting nation, surely they can fund their own darn foundations.
Zer0 got caught!
Who will Axlerod and Rahm pick for the fall guy?
“Got caught” alert!
What wingnut anti-American creep is giving our money to our sworn enemies?
“The U.S. State Department said it is rethinking a decision to give $2.5 million in aid to Libya...”
Good grief! What is there to think about?
The core issue here is the waste of taxpayer money at a time when our nation is bankrupt. Whether the $2.5 million is going to Gaddafi kids foundation or a foundation associated with Prince Charles of the UK, it is money we don’t have to spend and should not be spending.
Billions of dollars are being wasted on giveaways that do nothing for the average American. At the same time we have a true unemployment/underemployment rate of 16% and likely closer to 20%. The fools in Washington have to stop throwing money away.
Corporations and families have tightened their belts in the face of this economic crisis. My family, like millions of others, is switching to generic products, coupon clipping, eliminating dining out, staycationing instead of vacationing and keeping our 11 year old auto running to reduce expenses and increase savings. At the office my company has reduced headcount and slashed expenses to be leaner and meaner in a world with lower demand for products. Only government accelerates spending and borrows more in a depressed economy. And to what end?
We need radical reform of the government. Term limits, a balanced budget amendment, sunset rules, and line item veto are just some of the institutional reforms required. Our legislators have no incentive to do anything but spend borrowed money on each others programs in an endless cycle of buying support from special interests.
What was in the US-related redacted bits in those Lockerbie docs the Brits released? Inquiring minds want to know....
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