Jeff Duncan: “a front-page story today in the Washington Post says, ``Iraqi political leaders lashed out today at a plan by the top…”

“a front-page story today in the Washington Post says, ``Iraqi political leaders lashed out today at a plan by the top U.S. civilian administrator here to appoint an interim advisory council.'' The headline says, ``Iraqis Assail U.S. Plans.'' The front page of the Washington Times has a story today saying, ``Unemployed Iraqi soldiers swarmed U.S. occupation headquarters yesterday demanding back pay and emergency payments of $50 each and avowing vengeance if they didn't get their way.'' We are in a real mess in Iraq. Since when did it become the obligation of U.S. taxpayers to pay the salaries of the Iraqi military? When in history has a victorious army had to start paying the salaries of the defeated army? We have already given the retired people on pensions in Iraq emergency payments, handing out two crisp $20 bills to each, and probably more by now. Since when did it become the obligation of U.S. taxpayers to pay the pensions of Iraqi retirees? Those who support foreign aid found out many years ago that it was very unpopular so they just started putting our foreign aid and overseas spending into every Federal department and agency. The supporters of foreign aid very misleadingly say foreign aid is only about 1 percent of the Federal budget. What they do not say is that we are spending several hundreds of billions of dollars through every Federal department and agency. I am very pro-military and pro-national defense.…”