To the Point

Federal Budget Politics and the Business of War

As the wins and losses are tallied on the battlefield, the massive resources required for war have to come from somewhere, and somebody has to put them to use. As President Bush moves to cut taxes and reduce social spending in the US while conducting the war in Iraq, critics are complaining of potential conflicts of interest in contracts for post-war reconstructing being awarded to companies with top-level political ties. So who-s winning and losing back home? We hear get perspective on the intricacies of the economy and the war from a White House correspondent for the New York Times, Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman of California, Republican Congressman Christopher Shays of Connecticut, and officials from the Clinton Labor Department and Bush, Sr. Treasury Department. Making News: Ongoing Border Tensions in Northern Iraq In Northern Iraq, the humanitarian crisis anticipated by Turkey has not materialized. During the first Gulf War, Turkey sent troops into northern Iraq to stem the flood or Kurdish refugees that poured across its border. Some 12 million Kurds are already living in Turkey. Quill Laurence of PRI-s The World, reports on border tensions and Turkey-s fear that the Kurds will attempt to set up an independent state. Reporter's Notebook: Broadcasters Told Patriotism Sells Better than Protest Veteran combat correspondent Peter Arnett has been released by NBC after giving an interview to Iraqi TV. Geraldo Rivera has been told to leave Iraq for reporting too much about the location of US troops. Such incidents make reality of the nightmares of news consultants who are advising TV and radio stations to wave the flag. The Washington Post-s Paul Farhi looks at the advice news consults are giving broadcasters about the war in Iraq.