Funding the war

This is pretty self-evident, but the President is Commander-in-Chief, but it is the Congress' responsibility to appropriate funds to fund the war. In fact, the Constitution, in Article I, Section 9, prohibits spending money unless it has been appropriated.

Why do I mention this? Because as of this date, Congress has failed to appropriate funds for wars that it authorized (I use the word "wars" because technically there were two authorizations for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, even though I see it as one war). That is its perogative, but there are consequences to Congress' failure to act.

One consquence is that the Defense Department must begin planning for when the funds run out. With no funds provided since the beginning of the fiscal year, the Army has had to shift funds from other accounts to finance the war.

On November 26, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army directed all Army commanders and agency directors to begin planning for reduced Army-wide operations, and to minimize Operations and Maintenance funded activities not required to protect the life, health, and safety of occupants of Army installations, or required to maintain assets vital to the national defense. Detailed reports of thie review and planning effort by installation commanders are due back to the Vice Chief of Staff by today.

The Army expects to exhaust all operation and maintenance funds by Feb. 23, even after considering a reques by DOD to move over $4 billion from Navy and Air Force personnel accounts and the Army's working capital fund.

The Army Vice Chief of Staf directed Army commanders to be prepared to "warm base" all Army installations and commands to minimal essential levels; furlough Army Civilians after mid-February; curtail or suspend contract expenditures; and discontinue all routine operations funded by OMA dollars.

This is no way to run a war; and the finger of blame needs to be pointed directly at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer; and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

I agree with this commentary by Sens. McCain and Lieberman.