CP: Tories don't deny report of $1-billion Afghan budget blowout

[tuvor]

OTTAWA - The Conservative government scrambled Tuesday to explain a report that the Afghanistan mission will run $1 billion over budget this fiscal year.

The government did not deny the budget blowout for 2007-08 reported in Montreal's La Presse newspaper. It simply warned that the $1 billion was based on preliminary estimates that cannot be confirmed until after the end of the fiscal year later this month.

The report came two days before a scheduled confidence vote in the House of Commons on extending Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.

It also came as John Manley, who headed a panel on the future of the mission, said violence will drag on in the wartorn country unless there's a political agreement with the Taliban.

http://www.westmountexaminer.com/article-cp43124024-Tories-dont-deny-report-of-1billion-Afghan-budget-blowout.html

[daleo]

1. A billion dollars for war

Or for an RESP tax credit to help parents save for their children's education. The old choice, guns or butter.