The braggadocio of our nation's leaders as we embarked on the war with Iraq reached fever pitch.  In the name of patriotism, we were subjected to President Bush's admonition to other nations that "you are either with us or against us!" 

My Republican colleagues made similar claims at a Washington Night sponsored by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in April.  Congressman Gresham Barrett's utterance that "might makes right" was met with resounding applause by the business community in attendance.  When I suggested that we must pay our dues to the United Nations and not bypass this organization in order to have credibility in this effort, Congressman Jim DeMint countered that America hasn't paid its dues because the U.N. hasn't held up its bargain in burden sharing.  This also drew a positive crowd reaction. 

As a result of this arrogance, displayed by our Administration and its supporters, our country is now suffering from a gaping self-inflicted wound.  In his recent speech to the nation, President Bush delivered the blow.  He is asking the American taxpayers to shoulder an additional $87 billion (bringing the total thus far to $166 billion) because of our unilateral decision to invade Iraq.  By comparison, the 1991 Persian Gulf War cost the U.S. $9 billion, because we shared the burden with our United Nations allies.

After the President's appeal for support of his $87 billion request, The Washington Post did an enlightening article on the spending priorities of this Administration.  President Bush has made only one budgetary request that exceeds that figure for fiscal year 2004 -- $107.8 billion for tax cuts.  This absurd and irresponsible proposal will increase our budget deficit for next year to nearly half a trillion dollars. 

To put these figures in perspective, The Post pointed out that the President has requested only $41.3 billion for homeland security, $29.5 billion for K-12 education, $29.3 for our highway system, $28.1 billion for the Veterans Affairs Department, and $17.7 million for the Justice Department, including just $4.6 billion for the FBI.   With the federal deficit spiraling, the American people and the federally supported programs they rely on will be caught in the financial crunch. 

I am neither eager nor willing to support the President's $87 billion request without some evidence that the United States will not continue to carry the burden alone.  My support is contingent on a detailed accounting of the expenditures and disclosure of the closed door deals that have enriched the Administration's close associates. 

Vice President Cheney left the Presidency of Halliburton in 2000 to run for office.  His former company, with which he still has financial ties, has collected more than a billion dollars to date from no-bid contracts awarded by the Bush-Cheney Administration.  This is just one example of the private contracts that The Post reports gobble up a third of the federal money sent to support the American troops fighting the war on terrorism. 

What happened to the promises made by this administration that assured the American people that the cost of rebuilding Iraq would be absorbed by oil revenue and seized assets of Saddam Hussein?  Estimates of the Iraqi oil revenues won't cover the cost of paying Halliburton's fees, and thus far we have only been able to redirect $1.7 billion in seized assets back to our efforts in Iraq.  This time the President will have to do more than make empty promises and issue Patriot propaganda. 

            America has paid a high financial price and our troops have suffered significant casualties and a declining morale because of the cavalier attitude taken by this Administration.   I wonder if the State Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Washington Night now if the same attitudes would prevail.  I think it is time for this Administration to take the advice offered by Senator Fritz Hollings that April evening and quickly learn to win friends and influence people, because we can no longer afford to go it alone.   

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