Republican Senator Richard Lugar has seen presidents come and go...like clockwork. He's still hanging around, sent back by his state, Indiana because he's probably a good senator. He's a hell of a smart guy in the area of Foreign Policy, it must have chapped his ass to sit there on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and listen to Jesse Helms make the US seem like a country of protectionist, bigoted rubes. So, Lugar asked the 1600 Crew a simple question: How much will the Iraqi Adventure cost?

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar of Indiana said on National Public Radio that the White House understands there is a big price tag for rebuilding Iraq. ``But they do not wish to discuss that,'' Lugar said.

Asked by NPR whether rebuilding Iraq will cost tens of billions of dollars, Lugar responded, ``Yes. We are talking about that. And that's what needs to be talked about now as opposed to one surprise after another'' in funding requests to Congress.
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In the interview, Lugar also said top Bush administration officials were underestimating what is needed to get the security situation under control in Iraq.

Referring to recent statements by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that progress was achieved with the hiring of 30,000 Iraqi policemen, Lugar said, ``Almost all estimates are that 70,000 are required. That's tough to get.''