Some Money For Iraq & Afghanistan went to Miami...

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Did anyone else see this...or is this old news...I just heard of it today...I'm not surprised at all...seems that monies set aside for Iraq are not quite going to make it there...how come we haven't heard about this in the media...?

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United for Peace and Justice an organization which came together in the US this last year to build resistance to the war in Iraq is actively mobilization towards the anti-FTAA demonstrations in Miami. UFPJ's involvement in the growing resistance to the FTAA is making the links between the free trade capitalist style globalization defined in the FTAA and the capitalist militarization and destruction defined through the war of terrorism. In the recent 87 billion dollar bill pass through US Congress to support the ongoing occupation of Iraq & Afghanistan was included 8.5$ million dollars in security funding to prepare for the upcoming popular mobilization against the FTAA in Miami.
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More Here

and...
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The $87 billion dollar war budget passed this month by both the House and Senate included $8.5 million dollars for the FTAA meeting in Miami. The bill, entitled Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004, included many items that have little to do with Iraq. As Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) pointed out during a Senate appropriations hearing, the $292 million for research and development, $930 million for base camp improvements and $6.2 million to replace missiles, are hardly emergencies. The relation of $8.5 million for the FTAA meeting to the war in Iraq is not explained in the bill. The item is a single line under the heading `Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service' which allows $115.5 million for 'Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials.'

Though Peter F. Allgeier, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, stated in his remarks to the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade in May 2003 that administration of the FTAA will be done in a transparent manner, the sum of federal monies allocated to the meeting has not been accounted for. It is uncertain whether the check is being written to the municipality of Miami and the surrounding 40 cities that are providing law enforcement to the conference or to Florida FTAA Inc, a private organization. Florida FTAA Inc is working towards securing the headquarter site of the FTAA in Miami and is chaired by Charles Cobb, a businessman who served under Reagan and Bush Sr. in the Department of Commerce. Cobb was hired under express recommendation of Governor Jeb Bush.

The Iraq war bill also includes $25 million for the G8 summit to be held in June 2004. President Bush has chosen Sea Island, a privately owned resort island, as the site for that meeting.
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8.5Mill for FTAA Cops in Iraq Bill

[imax2268]

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Iraq War Bill Includes Millions For Miami Trade Meeting