TheOtherView
Funds for rebuilding should be used wisely

President Bush is asking Congress for $87 billion to help the rebuilding efforts in Iraq and parts of Afghanistan, but the Bush administration is making wasteful requests in the funding package. Members of Congress have recognized flaws in the spending plans of the $87 billion request.

Money does need to be spent to help rebuild Iraq because the United States did destroy some of Iraq’s infrastructure but care should be taken in how the money is spent to rebuild Iraq. Only expenditures vital to the rebuilding of the nation need to have money given to their cause.

While the debate is still open about the merits of the $66 billion allocated for the military operations in Iraq, there are glaring flaws in the plan to spend $20 billion to rebuild the civilian portions of the country.

The administration is asking for $20 million for new guns for Iraqi police. This is a great idea to arm the Iraqi police to help restore order to the streets of Baghdad and other cities, but coalition troops are confiscating guns from the police daily.

The Bush administration is also asking for money to train Iraqi policemen, something the British and German governments have offered to do for free. It makes no sense to spend money on something other countries are offering to do, especially when the United States is seeking help in Iraq and complaining about not getting it.

Perhaps the most frivolous spending is actually away from the efforts to restore order. In addition to helping troops and the Iraqi police, the administration is setting aside millions of dollars for programs that will not benefit the people already suffering in Iraq.

One such program will install a set of ZIP codes in Iraq for a cost of $9 million. There is another request for $1 million to build a museum chronicling the atrocities of Saddam Hussein. There are more immediate issues the money needs to be used for.

This is a staff editorial from The Lantern at Ohio State University. This editorial was distributed by U-Wire.