Redstate

Because we all know that the troops don't *really* need money until July

By Jeff Emanuel Posted in Anti-war liberals | Supplemental Spending | War — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Or, as CaliforniaYankee would say, 59 Days and Counting...

Another day, another Bush Lie™ - at least, according to those who make a living reporting anything his opponents say as fact, regardless of its actual veracity. In this case, it is, once again, the funding for the troops.

The meme that supplemental funds for Iraq aren't really needed until July has been bought hook, line, and sinker by the non-FNC media, and has been treated as gospel in the face of the President's statements (treated, of course, as lies) that the military needs the funds ASAP or the mission will suffer.

So what do you do when the soldiers themselves (or their leaders) conradict the talking points? Why, ignore them, of course - especially when it's the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army saying things like this:

We are particularly concerned as Congress is set to recess until mid-April without enacting this essential legislation. Without approval of the supplemental funds in April, we will be forced to take increasingly draconian measures which will impact Army readiness and impose hardships on our soldiers and their families.


--Army Chief Of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker And Acting Secretary Of The Army Pete Geren

But hey, the Dems support the troops, their well-being, and their readiness - right? (More below the fold)

How about these, as well?

After mid-April, "the Army has told us that they will have to begin curtailing some training here at home for Guard, Reserve, and for units, which means that the baseline for those units will be reduced as far as their capability, and when they're called, it will take them longer to be ready and could, over time, delay their availability to go back into combat."


--Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff Gen. Peter Pace

Without approval of the supplemental funds in April, the Armed Services will be forced to take increasingly disruptive measures in order to sustain combat operations. The impacts on readiness and quality of life could be profound...Reprogramming is a short-term, cost-inefficient solution that wastes our limited resources. Spending restrictions will delay and disrupt our follow-on forces as they prepare for war, possibly compromising future readiness and strategic agility.


--Army Chief Of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, Chief Of Naval Operations Adm. Michael G. Mullen, Air Force Chief Of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley, And Commandant Of The Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway

This kind of disruption to key programs will have a genuinely adverse effect on the readiness of the Army and the quality of life for soldiers and their families. I urge the Congress to pass the supplemental as quickly as possible.


--Defense Secretary Robert Gates

But hey - these guys don't count; not only are they in Bush'sMilitary™, fighting Bush'sWar™, but what they are saying agrees with him, rather than the Democrats, and we all know that the Democrats know what's really best for the country, the troops, and the "failed war" - even if they have to go against the troops to do what really needs to be done.