WP - Bush Asks Congress for Additional War Funding (long)

[maddezmom]

Bush Asks Congress for Additional War Funding
$25B Needed for Contingencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Says
By Jonathan Weisman and William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, May 5, 2004; 5:21 PM

~snip~

"While we do not know the precise costs for operations next year, recent developments on the ground and increased demands on our troops indicate the need to plan for contingencies," President Bush said in a statement on the request this afternoon. "We must make sure there is no disruption in funding and resources for our troops."

~snip~

Bush included no war funding in his fiscal 2005 budget, and he had hoped to avoid such a request until after the November election, fearing a divisive, campaign-year debate over the war's conduct and future, Republican congressional aides said. Congress has already approved two wartime emergency spending laws totaling $166 billion, of which $149 billion went to Iraq.

~snip~

Republican aides conceded today that the $25 billion Bush will seek is likely to be only the first installment. In February, Bolten said the president would seek as much as $50 billion next year. But that was when the Defense Department had expected U.S. troop levels in Iraq to be about 115,000 by now and to fall to about half that by the summer of 2005. Now, the Pentagon is preparing to maintain a force of 138,000 for at least the next 18 months.

House and Senate budget negotiators have already agreed to include $50 billion in the budget blueprint they are trying to complete for 2005, but defense experts say even that will fall short. One House appropriations committee aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the full cost of war in 2005 will be around $65 billion, more than two and a half times the president's request.

~snip~
more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A4475-2004May5.html

[Wickerman]

1. For this we got the MBA president

let that be a lesson to you employers out there - don't hire C students!

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. So total cost of the Iraq invasion will be

at least $200 billion, or $8,000 per Iraqi.

It could be worse: the Falklands War cost £2,000,000 per Falkland Islander. Or £5,000 per sheep. Or £1,000 per penguin.

[Miss Authoritiva]

4. Thanks for the currency conversions!

With all those billions wasted in Iraq we probably could have given every adult American a hydrogen fuel cell car and put roof solar panels on every home. No, that would have been too practical.

[indepat]

3. Wonder how much of this will go to Halliburton et al's untaxed bottom

line?