Bush warns that war funding row will harm US troops 

President George W. Bush warned on Tuesday that a drawn-out fight over war spending will only harm US troops in Iraq and scolded Congress for going on vacation before the matter was resolved.

A day before Bush was to leave for his own Easter break, he also repeated his vow to veto any measure that would tie the release of more than 120 billion dollars in military spending to a timetable for US troop withdrawal from Iraq.

If Congress does not approve a war funding bill in coming weeks, "the price of that failure will be paid by our troops and their loved ones," Bush told reporters.

"Congress's most basic responsibilities (are) to give our troops the equipment and training they need to fight our enemies and to protect our nation. They're now failing in that responsibility," he said.

"Now they have left Washington for spring recess without finishing the work. Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq."

Senate Democrats on Monday raised the stakes in the bitter fight, unveiling a new bid to cut off nearly all funding for the Iraq war after March 31, 2008 if Bush vetoes the bill they plan to submit to the White House.

In case you didn't stop by yesterday:

• 2007.04.03 Iraq/Surrendercrat Roundup
  • The speech Bush should give
  • Never trust a Democrat
  • The Newsman More Terrorists Trust
  • Harry "Land Shark" Reid Empowers Our Enemies
  • Video: U.S. troops rescue kidnapped Iraqi man
  • Reid Wants To Play Chicken A Little Longer
  • Some honest coverage of Iraq
  • Morons Triumphant!
  • AFP: “One reporter giggled at the back” during McCain press conference
  • Drudge Might Have Been Right
  • Bush: Congress Spending Time 'Undercutting Our Troops' in Iraq
  • LA Times: Mahdi Army melting down

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Was McCain Right?
Ed Morrissey

John McCain took a lot heat this week for asserting that the security situation has improved since the beginning of the surge. Michael Ware at CNN especially ridiculed his comments, and scenes of McCain touring Baghdad with a heavy security detail brought more derision. However, Terry McCarthy at ABC News reports that McCain may have been correct after all:

CHARLIE GIBSON: Our man in Baghdad, Terry McCarthy, noticed that the troop surge is having a large and positive effect.

TERRY MCCARTHY: It's been about seven weeks since the US troop surge into Baghdad began, and so far about half of the 30,000 troops have arrived. ...

The locals told us that things are getting better. Children's playgrounds are filling up, shopping streets are busier, and people have time to drink a cup of tea, or eat an ice cream.

McCarthy shows a couple of unfortunately familiar scenes of attacks and violence, and he notes that as foreigners, he and his crew did not stay in one place too long. However, he included plenty of footage showing the Iraqi people in Baghdad returning to normal life. An amusement park has reopened, and families have started filling it up, bringing their children and enjoying the day. Ice cream shops have prepared for a busy summer with new confidence in security.

Does this make Baghdad safe? No, but it makes it safer, ...

Gonna have to do some things differently today due to some medical appointments. I'll try to get back into my normal routine tomorrow