Parties require planning, preparedness...and $20 million.

This from an October 4, 2006, AP article:

The military's top generals have warned Iraq is on the cusp of a civil war and that U.S. troops must remain in large numbers until at least next spring. But if the winds suddenly blow a different direction, Congress is ready to celebrate with a $20 million victory party.

Lawmakers included language in this year's defense spending bill, approved last week, allowing them to spend the money. The funds for ''commemoration of success'' in Iraq and Afghanistan were originally tucked into last year's defense measure, but they went unspent amid an uptick in violence in both countries that forced the Pentagon to extend tours of duty for thousands of troops.

Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is the original sponsor of the provision, which Democrats agreed to add to last year's defense bill. Senate Republicans kept the authorization in the 2007 bill. With elections five weeks away, Democrats are pointing to it as another example of where the GOP has gone astray in handling the war in Iraq.

This is an outrage in several ways.

First, if Congress is going to put the country $20 million further in the red, why isn't the money going toward things like adequate armor and equipment for our troops? How about we spend money to make sure they get home before worrying about throwing them a party if they get home?

Second, this does indeed seem to me to be further evidence of the GOP's hideous job in handling the Iraq war.

Third, for all those Democrats who agreed to have this provision in last year's budget, you need to shut your yaps until you explain your previous consent. This provision is bullshit now, but it was also bullshit last year.