| Bush's Dilemma |
20 October 2003
|
Senate Hands Bush a Loss
The Republican-controlled US Senate gave Republican President George W. Bush a defeat on Thursday of last week when it voted to convert from a grant to a loan about half of the $20.3 billion for Iraq that he wanted. This is a harbinger of the troubles the GOP will have at the polls in November 2004.
On Mr. Bush's side, repairing Iraq is something the US morally and politically needs to do. There is no other economic force in the world capable of doing so. Or at least no force capable and willing -- the bungled diplomacy from Washington has seen to that. To loan Iraq the money, secured no doubt by future earnings of the Iraqi economy (pronounced "oil exports"), would confirm what many critics have said, that the war was all about oil.
However, American domestic politics are at work on the other side of the coin. Why, ask those backing the loan idea, is the US spending $87 billion to fix up a foreign country when the bridges, tunnels and railways of the US could do with some fixing? Why are Americans going into debt to pay for college and healthcare while working two jobs while Iraq is getting US tax dollars? Shouldn't Americans get their money back after Iraq is on its feet again? Who won the war?
For the Democrats, the 2004 election is easy: run on domestic issues, support the troops, doubt the president and his people -- then hope that adds up to a plurality. For the Republicans, the equation is harder. Either they must back the president and lay themselves open to charges of treating Iraqis better than Americans, or they must turn on Mr. Bush's policy and admit the war was about oil after all. The only other solution to back the administration and start spending in America -- an idea on which the GOP will choke.
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