Dems: Bush Should Fire Advisers Who Set Iraq policy

Sep 16, 2003
House Democrats Say Bush Should Fire Advisers Who Helped Him Set Iraq Policy
By Alan Fram - Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday exhorted President Bush to fire advisers who helped him set U.S. policy in Iraq, saying miscalculations have cost American lives.
The California Democrat was joined in that call by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a Vietnam combat veteran and senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. "We can't allow these bureaucrats to get off while these young people are paying such a heavy price," Murtha said at a joint news conference with Pelosi.

Neither lawmaker would specify who should lose their jobs. Asked whether Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld should be fired, Murtha said, "I've never known a secretary of defense to set the policy."

Asked about the Democrats' remarks at a later news conference, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, defended the administration's actions in Iraq as a costly, complicated and necessary endeavor that is preferable to letting the international community take control.

"Fighting this war on terror is something nobody's ever done before, so there will obviously be mistakes here and there," he said. He said when a mistake is made, "They quickly correct it."

Murtha and Pelosi said that Congress should quickly approve Bush's request for $87 billion in additional assistance for U.S. military operations and reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan. But they said the administration must provide details of how it spent $62 billion that Congress provided earlier this year for the war in Iraq and for worldwide efforts against terrorism.

As for the $87 billion, the Democrats said they wanted more details on how Bush envisions spending his latest request, which could be formally submitted to Congress later this week.

Both Democrats said the new money must be provided quickly to prevent the situation in Iraq from deteriorating further.

"If there's something you take home from this, time is running out," Pelosi said.

Two weeks ago, Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the top Democrat on the Appropriations committee, said Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz should be fired to restore confidence in the ability of the U.S. to have a coherent policy in Iraq.

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAWYOC6OKD.html