Weekly Column

     As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have had the unique opportunity to take part in the continuing discussion about the United States' current military operations. Because of the many service men and women I represent in Oklahoma's Fourth Congressional District, I believe it is important to make the right decisions about our involvement overseas. 

      President Bush and his administration recently called on Congress to approve a $87 billion supplemental appropriations request for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The decision to approve this request is a decision to support our troops and to implement the plan President Bush has outlined to defeat global terrorism. These funds are necessary to carry out the administration's three main objectives in the war on terrorism: improving security by aggressively hunting down the terrorists; expanding international participation in the war on terror; and helping Iraq and Afghanistan become free, democratic, and stable nations that reject terrorism.

     Last week during an Armed Services hearing with Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer and General John Abizaid, we discussed the status of military and reconstruction activities in Iraq. Although it took only three weeks to reach Baghdad and demolish Saddam's control, the work in Iraq is far from finished. Terrorist and regime remnants are making a desperate stand in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  The United States and our allies are working to confront them where they live and seek refuge, rather than leaving terrorists in their safe havens to gather the strength and resources to attack us at home again.

         The vast majority of the President's request goes to giving American troops fighting the War on Terror the equipment, pay, and other resources they need to perform their mission. The spending request will give our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan the equipment they need to stay on the offense, and increase their safety and security. It includes funding to replace equipment used or destroyed during combat operations, purchase armored Humvees to better protect our forces, provide better housing for the troops deployed overseas and compensate our troops for the hardships they face. A smaller amount - less than one-fourth - goes to helping to create conditions on the ground in Iraq that will enable our troops to succeed in their mission - by providing the basic services and humanitarian relief that will make a big difference in stabilizing the country.  A large amount of the funds will go to train and equip Iraqi security forces that are working with our soldiers.

     The costs of fighting the War on Terror are significant but less as a percentage of the overall economy than previous conflicts in American history. According to a recent analysis by USA Today, the cost of fighting the war in Iraq amounts to approximately 0.5% of Gross Domestic Product, compared with 130% for World War II and 15% for the Korean War.  The $87 billion request for Iraq and Afghanistan is less than 4% of the entire federal budget next year. Today’s deficits are larger than anyone wants, but they are still less than 5% of GDP and are manageable if we put them on a steady downward path through strong economic growth and responsible spending restraint.