Just after midnight, the House passed Bush's $87 billion Iraq aid bill.

The package, approved 298-121 shortly after midnight, includes nearly $65 billion for military personnel and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an additional $18.6 billion for reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The Senate is expected to follow suit quickly, sending President Bush a package that closely mirrors his original request.

Just after midnight, the House passed Bush's $87 billion Iraq aid bill.

The package, approved 298-121 shortly after midnight, includes nearly $65 billion for military personnel and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an additional $18.6 billion for reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The Senate is expected to follow suit quickly, sending President Bush a package that closely mirrors his original request.

Ask for help, go to jail. A 32 year old U.S. soldier has been charged with "cowardly conduct as a result of fear" for not performing his combat duties.

The soldier, Georg-Andreas Pogony, tells it this way:

He said he had flown to Iraq on Sept. 26 and was with a team of Green Berets three days later near Samarra, north of Baghdad, when he saw the mangled body of an Iraqi. He said he began shaking and vomiting and was terrified he would be killed.

Pogany said he told his team sergeant he was headed for a "nervous breakdown" and needed help. After that, Pogany said, he did not request to go on missions and was not asked to go.

"I don't know how asking for help qualifies as misbehavior," Pogany said. "Something happens, you ask for help and they throw the book at you."

Pogony faces a dishonorable discharge and possible jail time if convicted at his court-martial trial.

A cowardice charge is extremely rare. Army officials could not say when it was last used, and refused to discuss Pogany's case. It was not clear how much prison time he could face.

[Ed. link fixed]

Ask for help, go to jail. A 32 year old U.S. soldier has been charged with "cowardly conduct as a result of fear" for not performing his combat duties.

The soldier, Georg-Andreas Pogony, tells it this way:

He said he had flown to Iraq on Sept. 26 and was with a team of Green Berets three days later near Samarra, north of Baghdad, when he saw the mangled body of an Iraqi. He said he began shaking and vomiting and was terrified he would be killed.

Pogany said he told his team sergeant he was headed for a "nervous breakdown" and needed help. After that, Pogany said, he did not request to go on missions and was not asked to go.

"I don't know how asking for help qualifies as misbehavior," Pogany said. "Something happens, you ask for help and they throw the book at you."

Pogony faces a dishonorable discharge and possible jail time if convicted at his court-martial trial.

A cowardice charge is extremely rare. Army officials could not say when it was last used, and refused to discuss Pogany's case. It was not clear how much prison time he could face.

[Ed. link fixed]

Last April, Bush embarked on a tour the press dubbed "Hardware in the Heartland." He went around to factories praising workers for their contributions to the war effort. Of course, many of these factories had seen and would see layoffs. So who really supplies the necessities of war for the Department of Defense? Our federal prisoners.

While the Boeing employees sat listening to Bush's remarks, just 50 miles to the northeast 265 workers in the apparel factory in Greenville, Illinois were far from idle. Averaging more than 1,000 desert-tan camouflage shirts per day, 194,950 of which were bought in 2002 by the Department of Defense and worn by the US infantry in the Middle East, these workers were not allowed many breaks. Equally harried were the 300 workers at the Kevlar helmet factory in Beaumont, Texas, who fill 100 percent of the US military's demand for battlefield headgear. A factory in Marion, Illinois also kept in rapid motion, soldering millions of dollars worth of cables for the Pentagon's TOW and Patriot missiles. Presidential plaudits were not forthcoming for these workers – all of whom are inmates in federal prisons.

Last April, Bush embarked on a tour the press dubbed "Hardware in the Heartland." He went around to factories praising workers for their contributions to the war effort. Of course, many of these factories had seen and would see layoffs. So who really supplies the necessities of war for the Department of Defense? Our federal prisoners.

While the Boeing employees sat listening to Bush's remarks, just 50 miles to the northeast 265 workers in the apparel factory in Greenville, Illinois were far from idle. Averaging more than 1,000 desert-tan camouflage shirts per day, 194,950 of which were bought in 2002 by the Department of Defense and worn by the US infantry in the Middle East, these workers were not allowed many breaks. Equally harried were the 300 workers at the Kevlar helmet factory in Beaumont, Texas, who fill 100 percent of the US military's demand for battlefield headgear. A factory in Marion, Illinois also kept in rapid motion, soldering millions of dollars worth of cables for the Pentagon's TOW and Patriot missiles. Presidential plaudits were not forthcoming for these workers – all of whom are inmates in federal prisons.

Recovering Private Jessica Lynch is not too busy to write a book or be interviewed by Diane Sawyer. But she's too busy to meet the Iraqi lawyer who helped save her life --even when he visits her home town.

The Iraqi lawyer who helped U.S. forces locate Jessica Lynch paid a visit Monday to her home town, where he was showered with affection, gifts and awards. But he was unable to meet the former prisoner of war, who was too busy with other commitments, according to her spokesman.

We'll probably be too busy to read her book or watch her interview.

Recovering Private Jessica Lynch is not too busy to write a book or be interviewed by Diane Sawyer. But she's too busy to meet the Iraqi lawyer who helped save her life --even when he visits her home town.

The Iraqi lawyer who helped U.S. forces locate Jessica Lynch paid a visit Monday to her home town, where he was showered with affection, gifts and awards. But he was unable to meet the former prisoner of war, who was too busy with other commitments, according to her spokesman.

We'll probably be too busy to read her book or watch her interview.

From CNN:

Numerous missiles have slammed into the Baghdad hotel where U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying, injuring several people, coalition officials have told CNN.

As many as eight missiles were fired at the Al-Rasheed Hotel -- used by many coalition officials -- at 6.10 a.m. local time Sunday morning (0610 GMT), officials said. There were reports of serious injuries, including limb amputations, but Wolfowitz escaped unharmed and was led away from the scene by security forces, said U.S. officials.

Update: An as yet unidentified U.S. colonel was killed in the attack.

From CNN:

Numerous missiles have slammed into the Baghdad hotel where U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying, injuring several people, coalition officials have told CNN.

As many as eight missiles were fired at the Al-Rasheed Hotel -- used by many coalition officials -- at 6.10 a.m. local time Sunday morning (0610 GMT), officials said. There were reports of serious injuries, including limb amputations, but Wolfowitz escaped unharmed and was led away from the scene by security forces, said U.S. officials.

Update: An as yet unidentified U.S. colonel was killed in the attack.

UPI reports that the Pentagon will investigate a report by one of its reporters that returning Iraqi vets are receiving substandard medical care back in the U.S.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- A United Press International report that wounded Iraqi war veterans are getting substandard medical care has sparked a federal investigation. The Pentagon will dispatch a team to investigate claims that hundreds of sick and wounded soldiers at Fort Stewart, Ga., are waiting, sometimes for months, to see doctors, the Drudge Report said Sunday.

A UPI report last week described the horrible conditions imposed on National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers upon their return to the U.S. from Iraq. The report told of deplorable, squalid living quarters for approximately 600 sick and wounded soldiers who are forced to wait weeks to even see a doctor. The soldiers are on "medical hold," while the Army decides how sick or disabled they are and what benefits, if any, they should get as a result. Some soldiers said they have waited weeks or months without getting a diagnosis or proper treatment.

Our original post on this is here.

The LA Times has more on the death of the Iraqui POW that has resulted in two marines being charged with negligent homicide. The U.S. says the marines didn't actually kill the Iraqui POW themselves. But, if true, what they did do is inexcusable:

The prisoner reportedly was left alone with other prisoners after being interrogated by U.S. military and intelligence-agency personnel and was later found dead. Officials say Paulus and Hernandez should have known that the prisoner might be killed by his own countrymen unless he was given special protection.

They will be tried under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The maximum punishment for negligent homicide is three years and a dishonorable discharge. "It is the least severe charge that can be levied against someone accused of causing the death of another."

Here's our detailed post from yesterday describing the charges and incident.

Of the six other marines charged with beating and mistreating prisoners, one of them, Lance Cpl. William S. Roy, has an excellent defense attorney, Donald Rehkoph, who has done a yeoman's job as co-chair of the Military Law Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) in battling the proposed rules for military tribunals. Rehkoph blames the military for not providing adequate training to reservists on how to handle prisoners: