Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday urged quick passage of a $91 billion spending bill that includes money to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying that despite troubling violence in Iraq, the process of creating a stable government is proceeding satisfactorily.
Appearing with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld before the Senate Approporiations Committee, Rice said most Iraqis are convinced that their aims will succeed despite the persistent insurgency.
"They still face a very determined enemy, an enemy that would like to see that political process halted so that Iraq might devolve into chaos and conflict," she said.
Rice also criticized "a terrible human rights record" in Iran, urging the Congress to approve a proposed $75 million plan to increase U.S. cultural outreach to Iranian citizens. "We do not have a problem with the Iranian people," she said, adding that the problem is with the Iranian government and its nuclear ambitions.
Rice's opening statement to the committee was interrupted by a man in the audience who stood and shouted, "How many of you have children in this illegal and immoral war? The blood is on your hands and you cannot wash it away." As he was escorted from the room by security officers the man also shouted, "Fire Rumsfeld."
The future of the $91 billion spending bill has been threatened by a move in the House to block a Dubai-owned company from taking control of some U.S. port operations. President Bush has said he would veto the bill if such a proposal was included.
Rumsfeld was expected to tell the committee that the spending bill is needed to pay for helping U.S. allies develop effective anti-terrorism forces.
Nearly $6 billion is in the bill to continue developing security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Scheduled to testify with Rice and Rumsfeld were Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace and Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command.
It would be the first time those four leaders have appeared together in front of Congress since Rice joined the Cabinet in January 2005.
Questions about a variety of issues awaited the witnesses:
--Military plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
--How the religious strife in Iraq is impeding efforts to build a unified government.
--The standoff with Iran over concerns it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
The emergency spending bill includes about $65 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as about $20 billion for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Additional money would go to the State Department and intelligence agencies for international operations and classified activities.
The House Appropriations Committee approved the bill on a voice vote late Wednesday, after voting 62-2 to include a provision prohibiting DP World, which is run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports.
The State Department has said that Rice and the Pentagon leaders were appearing jointly before the committee, led by Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., to show they are part of a common war strategy.
Cochran wants to know whether the spending measure "is sufficient to sustain success in Iraq and Afghanistan," spokeswoman Jenny Manley said. "But the conversation could be broad and not limited" to the bill.
Some lawmakers have been critical that the war is not being funded in the regular budget.
"This administration has decided to fund this war and all of its implications through emergency requests, even though we have known about the costs of the war for years," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the emergency spending bill "is designed to address the incremental costs that are associated with the conduct of combat," and is "crucial to our ability to continue our combat operations in the global war on terror."
The Senate is not expected to vote on the bill until sometime in April. The House could vote next week.
------
On the Net:
State Department at http://www.state.gov
Defense Department at http://www.defenselink.mil
Central Command at http://wwww.centcom.mil
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
