Wounded American troops who end up in hospitals in Iraq are apparently being charged about eight dollars a day for their food, which has Iowa Senator Tom Harkin enraged. He’s sponsoring legislation that would end the practice, calling it “nickel and dime foolishness”. President Bush has made an emergency request of 87-billion dollars for continued efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Harkin, a Democrat, says he supports funding for U.S. military operations, saying “whatever it takes to ensure the safety and security of troops, but he says it appears some of the money being requested for Iraq is being wasted.Harkin says the administration is requesting 3-point-6 million dollars for 600 radios and phones — or about six-thousand dollars each. He says it’s a case of “sticker shock and awe.” Harkin says the initial Iraqi reconstruction request is for more than 20-billion dollars that’ll be doled out through 2008. He says that “doesn’t sound like any kind of an exit strategy. It sounds like a stay-put strategy.”
