The fact that the Iraq War has been largely funding through supplemental appropriations has drawn criticism from groups like The Concord Coalition, and from figures like Sen. John McCain (R – Arizona). Last October, the Coalition noted that over the past five years,
the White House has raised $502 billion through 10 such emergency bills – versus 7 during the fourteen years of the Korean and Vietnam Wars combined.
The Coalition quoted Sen. McCain as saying that these supplemental appropriations circumvent budgetary oversight and that
neither the White House nor Congress is making tough decisions about how we are going to pay for ongoing wars.
The fact that the appetite for the Iraq War has largely fallen away – outside of the White House and the Pentagon – may mean that this is the last Iraq supplemental appropriation considered by Congress. Nevertheless, an examination of the conduct of the Iraq War should not neglect the fact that in the end perhaps three-quarters of a trillion dollars will have been allocated for a multi-year military operation outside of the normal budgetary process. It is likely that future observers will regard this as yet one more abuse by the Bush Administration.
