| The Real Deal: Missing Weapons in Iraq October 26- Recent stories in the media report that the Iraqi government has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that several hundred tons of explosives are missing from the former Al-Qaqaa military facility in Iraq. The extent to which the U.S. is responsible for their loss has been grossly misrepresented. Military College Application Deadline Approaching October 21- High school seniors interested in attending a U.S. military college have until Monday, November 1 to submit their nomination application to Congressman Miller's office. Applications are available on Mr. Miller's Academy Appointments webpage or by calling 714-257-1142. Chief Weapons Inspector: “The World is Better Off” October 7- The chief U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq , Charles Duelfer, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that Saddam Hussein's Iraq had the resources and intension to build nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The following are excerpts from his testimony: Talking Points: Iraqi Security Continues to Make Steady Progress September 28- Progress continues in training and equipping Iraqi security forces. U.S. military commanders believe that the majority of the country will be under local control by the end of this year.
September 16- Congressman Miller made the following argument on the House floor opposing an amendment (which eventually passed) allowing U.S. banks to accept, as proof of identity, easily forged ID cards issued by the Mexican government to illegal immigrants living in the United States: Matricula Consular Cards: Myths and Facts behind the Mexican ID Cards September 16- Matricular Consular cards are identification cards issued by the Mexican government to mainly illegal immigrants living in the United States. Currently, more than 350 financial institutions accept Matricula Consular cards as proof of identification thereby allowing thousands of illegal immigrants to have access to mainstream U.S. financial services. October 29- The CIA is charging that several French, Russian and Chinese companies participated in a secret oil voucher program that helped Saddam Hussein circumvent U.N. sanctions. The U.S. intelligence agency says Saddam's government used the oil vouchers both to solicit kickbacks and to reward countries and individuals willing to cooperate with Iraq's political goals. France , Russia and China adamantly opposed the U.S.-led ousting of the Iraqi dictator. The oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996 and ended in November 2003, was launched to help Iraqis cope with U.N. sanctions imposed after Saddam's 1990 invasion of Kuwait . Under the program, the former Iraqi regime could sell unlimited quantities of oil provided the money went primarily to buy humanitarian goods and pay reparations to victims of the 1991 Gulf War. Corruption allegations surfaced in January in the Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada, which published the names of about 270 Iraqi, United Nations and foreign government officials suspected of profiting from Iraqi oil sales as part of the oil-for-food program. The U.S. General Accounting Office estimates $10.1 billion are unaccounted for from the program. |
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