Fiscal 2008 War Costs Will Exceed Bush Budget Estimate

[babylonsister]

File this under "It's Only Money"

http://public.cq.com/docs/cqm/cqmidday110-000002563226.html

Fiscal 2008 War Costs Will Exceed Bush Budget Estimate

The cost of war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the next fiscal year will likely exceed the $145.2 billion request the White House made in February, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the House Budget Committee Tuesday.

That higher cost results in part from the 30,000 additional U.S. troops deployed as part of the president’s “surge.” The added troops will remain in Iraq well beyond the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, and more money will be needed to sustain them, England testified.

In addition, extra funds will be needed to pay for more bomb-resistant vehicles to protect soldiers from roadside bombs.

England said he could not predict specifically how much more would be needed in the fiscal 2008 war supplemental, but he noted that the original request included only $400 million for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles — an amount that now will be increased to $5.8 billion.

The details of a revised supplemental request will become clearer after the administration submits its Sept. 15 progress report on Iraq war operations, England said.

[indepat]

1. I'm shocked, really shocked

[sutz12]

2. It's the Bush axiom.....'everything costs more than I thought it would.' nt