Live From the Pentagon

[Gabu]

About $8-$10 billion to start the thing from scratch.  It can be operational in two years (Two months in our time).

That sounds pretty reasonable.  Okay, I'll introduce that legislation.

[The Duke]

We are currently helping the relief effort for the tsunamis.  Our airlift capacity will be working overtime for the next few weeks, as will our sealift capacity.  We'll be holding to the $35 million dollar pledge the actual US government made in bringng aid.

We wish the best to those in the affected countries, especially Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, which have been hit hardest.  We owe special thanks to Australia and Japan for their equally substantive contribution in handling perhaps the worst natural disaster in history.

[MAS117]

Once our National Guard Regs are passed, I will call up some units of the National Guard, and send them overseas to try help tsuanami relief.

[The Duke]

Back in Nyman after my swing through Caifornia.  I'll be in Iraq during the elections on January 30 to show my confidence that the elections can be safe and to make sure that all possible prearations have been made to ensure the safety of these eections.

Aso, I'd like the Senate to act on our request for another $80 bilion suppemental spending bill to fund ongoing overseas operations and on the proposal by Senator Soulty to add another Division to the US Army.  Another division would give us the manpower to enhance our presence on the Iraqi-Syrian border, preventing the continued traffic of weapons into Iraq.  With this 14th Division added to the force, we coud sustain a presence there until the Iraqi border forces have the manpower to take over themselves.

Before I'm off to Iraq, I'd like to make one comment on the Cabinet Restructuring Bill.  I of course support the Bill, because it would coordinate the activities of the Defense and State Departments.  As it is, the two Departments may not always have the same priorities and goals.  I fully understand the concerns of our allies who already think our diplomacy is too reliant on military force, but I think having a singe person in charge of foreign policy woud lead to a more cohesive and effective policy, and therefore fewer situations will arise where war would be an option since they would have been addressed earlier on, before they grew too big.  Many soldiers ike George Marshall and Colin Powell have gone from soldier to diplomat and no one raised an eyebrow, so it should be here.

[The Duke]

The Final Briefing (for Now).

Let me begin by addressing some issues before the Senate.

The first is the Second Military Divisions Appropriations Bill.  This is an important bill that needs to pass.  I set out to rebuild our military and in just seven months we've made more progress than I'd imagined we could.  This is another major step on the road to our final destination.

Second, I will be drawing up in my capacity as Secretary of Defense, and introducing in my new capacity as Senator, a bill to raise military pay, which is something that some Senators, particularly WMS, have indicated an interest in.

Lastly, the GM before his resignation let us know that the Iraq War requires another supplemental appropriation of $80 billion, similar to the famous (or infamous) $87 billion you no doubt remember from early 2004.  I will introduce this legislation as well once I become a Senator.

I think these three defense issues are of pressing importance, for various reasons, and hope to bring attention to them as Senator and I hope to see vigorous and decisive action on them.

Now, I leave you with some thoughts on the recent elections in Iraq, over which I presided.  The Iraqis voted for the first time, and not for the last time, and it was American soldiers who came not as conquerors, but as liberators, who made it possible.  An American President once said of our soldiers after a great battle was won, "…we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow, this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract."  Actions always speak louder than words.

I leave you with this one last tribute to our soldiers beyond which no words of mine can hallow.

[WMS]

Excellent last speech John Ford! I'll happily vote for all three pieces of legislation.