Kyl is Bush/Cheney's hitman on $190B more for war

Sen. Jon Kyl and Rep. Giffords in Iraq

WASHINGTON -- Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl is again out on the extreme right in a new fight over Iraq war funding brewing in the U.S. Congress.

The president has asked for another $190 billion for 2008. But the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Democrat David Obey (D-WI), announced it won't be considered until next year. He said he opposes "any such request that simply serves to continue the status quo" in Iraq.

Republicans condemned any delay. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona said Congress needs to act by mid-November when a stop-gap spending measure runs out.

SEN. JON KYL (R), Arizona: "I hope that we're not seeing the beginning of an effort to cut off... funding. I hope our colleagues here in the Senate will not follow Chairman Obey's lead, but will be supportive of the administration's efforts to support the resolution that would continue funding..."

Democrats insisted they'd consider emergency funds to keep war operations going into January, but Senate Majority Leader Reid said he agreed with tying longer-term funding to a change in policy.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), Senate Majority Leader: "There is nothing dealing with Iraq that is off the table. And I haven't talked in any length at all with Chairman Obey about this, but we'll take a look at everything. The one thing we're going to make certain is that we're going to continue doing everything that we can to affect change. We need to change course in the war in Iraq."

Congressman Obey and two other senior Democrats also called for a tax surcharge to pay for the war. Republicans sharply criticized that idea, and Democratic leaders said they won't consider it.

- above adapted from PBS NewsHour

Arizona Republican Jon Kyl -- our only Senator active and voting in the US Senate as McCain campaigns 24/7 -- continues to service Bush/Cheney as the leading right-wing voice for staying the course on the failed and unethical Iraq war.

Bush/Cheney veto a bill to support health care for children, but want to burn $190,000,000,000 more in the lost Iraq war, and Jon Kyl is right there at their side cheering.

On the Iraq war issue, Sen. Kyl is an embarrassment to the good people of Arizona.