IRAQ'S AMBASSADOR TO US TICKED OFF AT DEMS FOR WANTING TO CUT FUNDING FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Iraq's ambassador to the United States insisted Sunday his government was doing more to pay its own way as angry Democrats in Congress push to cut US funding for reconstruction.

Iraq envoy rejects Democrats' anger over US funding
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080511/pl_afp/usiraqcongresspoliticsbudget

Samir Sumaidaie told CNN: "We are taking over as fast as we can. We are taking over on the construction side. We are taking over on the security side.

"And as time goes on, the money spent by the Americans on reconstruction or on our arms (armed) services will come down to zero and we'll take on the full load," he said.

Democrats say that with Iraq profiting from booming oil prices, its government is letting billions of dollars sit idle in US bank accounts as Washington spends up to 12 billion dollars a month in the country.

The Senate's armed services committee has proposed banning US funds for all large-scale projects in Iraq costing above two million dollars, demanding Baghdad assume a larger share of reconstruction costs.

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