Plea for Iraq funds goes to Hill

American troops in Iraq will continue to be in danger if Congress does not quickly pass the president’s $87 billion emergency funding request, the American administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, told senators yesterday.

“Some Iraqis are beginning to regard us as occupiers and not as liberators. Some of this is inevitable, but faster progress on reconstruction will help,” Mr. Bremer told the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Unless this supplemental passes quickly, Iraqis face an indefinite period with blackouts eight hours daily. The link to the safety of our troops is indirect, but real.”

Mr. Bremer called attacks on troops in Iraq “an unwelcome surprise,” but said the United States must persevere or “we will have sown the dragon’s teeth, which will sprout more terrorists and eventually cost more American lives.”

President Bush last week submitted to Congress his request for $87 billion, of which $20.3 billion would go to reconstruction of Iraq. The rest would be allocated for military costs: $51 billion for the deployment in Iraq, $11 billion for the ongoing commitment to Afghanistan and $4 billion for the worldwide war on terrorism.

Now the administration and Republican leaders are trying to build the sense of urgency about approving the request as Congress begins a week of hearings on it.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Republican, said he wants the full Senate to vote on it by the end of next week, while one House Republican aide said they hope to act “sooner rather than later” on the bill.

With a host of administration officials expected to testify before a half-dozen House and Senate committees, critics will have plenty of chances to question the initial war and the administration’s handling of the aftermath.

Yesterday, Democrats on the committee said they would support the part of the request that funds the military.

But some wondered whether the money could be split into two pools so the military money could be approved quickly, but the reconstruction money could be studied longer.

“I think we’re being given a snow job by the administration,” said Sen. Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia Democrat and the senior Democrat on the committee.

“I don’t believe adequate explanation has been made for this $20 billion on the part of Ambassador Bremer,” Mr. Byrd said.

Republicans, though, said the money all works toward the same goal of securing Iraq and bringing American troops home soon and safely.

“The nexus between support for our troops and ongoing reconstruction efforts in Iraq, for me, is undeniable,” said Sen. Ted Stevens, Alaska Republican and chairman of the committee. “The sooner a new Iraqi government is formed and effectively functions, the quicker our soldiers, sailors and all Americans can come home.”

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