Hillary's Iraq Plan Would 'Devastate' Troops

As U.S troops become increasingly reliant on Iraqi security forces to take over duties in policing the provinces of Iraq, Hillary Rodham Clinton has introduced an aggressive plan to cut funding from our Iraqi allies.

In a February 7 speech on the Senate floor, Clinton said that her plan to cut funding for Iraqi troops is needed to "send a message" to the Iraqi government "that there are consequences to their inaction." Those consequences would be a disaster for both the U.S. and Iraqi troops, according to the chief spokesman for the Multi-National Forces in Iraq.

Negative Effect

HUMAN EVENTS last week asked Maj. Gen. William Caldwell what would happen if Congress cut funding for Iraqi forces. Caldwell did not comment on Clinton's plan directly, but he said that cutting funding to Iraqi forces "would have a devastating effect."

"A lot of equipment that these street forces need is being purchased through our military," he said. "If there was ever a time to follow through, it's right now as they [Iraqis] are stepping up to take the lead and take charge.

But cutting funding for our Iraqi allies is exactly what Clinton would like to do.

On Friday, February 17, as Congress was breaking for a weeklong recess. Clinton introduced the "Iraq Troops and Protection Act." The bill prohibits any funding for Iraqi forces, reconstruction efforts and contractors unless seven broad, sweeping certification standards are met within 90 days.

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Joe Biden (D.-Del.), has also harshly criticized Hillary's plan. In a January 31 interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer. Biden said "I think it would be a disaster if it is her plan" to cut off funding for local Iraqi forces.

"I think it's counterproductive." he said.

Her legislation does not have any cosponsors.

At a forum sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees on February 21, Clinton said. "I want to cut money for Iraqi troops. I want to cut the money that they get, because they're not standing up and fighting the way that they said they would have."

Although her plan would not cut funding for American troops in the region, she said withholding the money from Iraqi forces would effectively reduce support for U.S. efforts in Iraq.

She explained to PBS's Gwen Ifill in a January 18 interview, "Instead of cutting funding to American troops, cut the funding to the Iraqi forces and to the security forces, often private contractors that we pay for to protect members of this government."

Shades of Vietnam

Hillary's bill is reminiscent of Vietnam. It is similar to the Foreign Assistance Act that was passed by the newly installed Democratic Congress in December 1974. The measure drastically cut funding for the South Vietnamese government.

The end effect of the 1974 Foreign Assistance Act was best captured in a photograph taken by Hubert Van Es that showed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians queuing up for the last American helicopter out of Saigon. Soon, without American troops or any resources to protect the Vietnamese, the Communists took over Indochina and four million of our Vietnamese allies were killed by the Communist Khmer Rouge regime.

While Clinton's plan purports to maintain funding for U.S. troops, it contains a provision that would prohibit funding for them unless the secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that the troops are "adequately equipped and trained for their mission in Iraq."

This same ploy is being pushed by House Defense Appropriations subcommittee Chairman and war critic Rep. John Murtha (D.-Pa.), who has said that in order for the Democratic Congress to allow the release of money for U.S. troops, he would attach specific conditions to the President's budget request based on military readiness that he knew could not be met.

Murtha said in a video "briefing" posted online al MoveCongress.org that by requiring new limits on troop deployment and equipment certification "they won't be able to continue."

According to Murtha, under his plan, "They won't be able to do the deployment. They won't have equipment, they don't have the training, and they won't be able to do the work. There's no question in my mind. We have analyzed this, and there's no way this can be done."

Clinton used the one-week Senate recess to campaign for the presidential nomination. On the stump she strictly adhered to a script on Iraq policy that did not include any admissions she was wrong in casting her 2002 vote to authorize President Bush to use force in Iraq.

Earlier this month she told the media that the President "misused" her vote, but now she appears to be focused on promoting her fundwithholding plan.

At a campaign stop in San Francisco, Hillary told donors that the Iraqi government must no longer be given "a blank check" and should lose funding if progress is not made in the near future.

acarpenter@eaglepub.com

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Mar 5, 2007
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