Altus Times

Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles remains supportive of allotting monetary aid to Altus Air Force Base.

"We need more help there," Nickles said in a Thursday conference call with state newspapers, including the Altus Times.

In September both Oklahoma senators, Nickles and Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., announced the congressional approval of $4.2 million for development and procurement of a state-of-the art refueling boom trainer for the base. The funds were included in the Department of Defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004.

Nickles said he is also supportive of using 5.7 million to expedite the return of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. The funds would be put towards police and security training for Iraqi personnel. Nickles said the funds will allow U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer and his staff to initiate the process.

Nickles said he would like to see the number of troops in Iraq reduced, and in order to do that the U.S. would need either more Iraqis to help with the stabilization or more national assistance. He said the men and women who have been sent to Iraq are providing a great job and have "liberated not just a whole country, but people."

In reference to the issue of U.S. inspectors having yet to find weapons of mass destruction, Nickles said, "Saddam Hussein was a weapon of mass destruction."

Although Nickles said he has not visited Iraq, he has heard positive first person accounts from people who see the assistance the U.S. is providing.

Currently, the U.S. is considering providing additional assistance to Iraq, however the type of assistance is being questioned.

The $20 million Iraq reconstruction bill that would help Iraq stabilize their economy is in debate within the Senate, Nickles said. The debate is whether to allot part of the bill as a loan.

"I support that as a grant," Nickles said.

Nickles said Iraq does not currently have a person, government or entity that can sign a note and say they can pay it back.

"It's not there yet," Nickles said. "The people in Iraq need help."