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Obama's war bill 'to be $83bn' Obama seeks extra funds for wars
(30 minutes later)
US President Barack Obama is seeking $83.4bn (£56.7bn) for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, sources in Congress say. US President Barack Obama is seeking an extra $83.4bn (£56.7bn) for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, sources in Congress say.
He is due to send an official request to Congress shortly, the White House said, without giving details.He is due to send an official request to Congress shortly, the White House said, without giving details.
The money is needed to pay for Mr Obama's new Afghan strategy and the "drawdown" of combat troops in Iraq. The supplementary money is needed to pay for the new Afghan strategy and the "drawdown" of combat troops in Iraq.
Congressional sources said the sum included special troop funding, a measure Mr Obama previously opposed. Mr Obama opposed special troop funding while a member of Congress under the Bush administration.
It breaks down into $75.8bn for the Pentagon and more than $7bn in foreign aid, including $1.8bn for Pakistan, the Associated Press news agency reports. The sum breaks down into $75.8bn for the Pentagon and more than $7bn in foreign aid, including $1.8bn for Pakistan, the Associated Press news agency reports.
If the sum is confirmed, it will bring the cost of the two wars to almost $1tn since 9/11, the Congressional Research Service calculates. If the sum is confirmed, it will push the war money approved for 2009 to about $150bn. The totals were $171bn for 2007 and $188bn for 2008, when George W Bush was in the White House.
According to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, the new money will bring the cost of the two wars since 9/11 to almost $1tn.
'The last one''The last one'
The outlines of the request were provided in documents presented at a private Congressional briefing and are meant to pay for an average force level in Iraq of 140,000 troops, with force levels in Afghanistan rising to 45,000, AP reports.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the request was a "supplemental", meaning it falls outside the usual budgetary process.White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the request was a "supplemental", meaning it falls outside the usual budgetary process.
"A supplemental is required in order to fund the new strategy in Afghanistan and fund the process in Iraq that will lead to a draw-down of all of our combat troops," he told reporters. "A supplemental is required in order to fund the new strategy in Afghanistan and fund the process in Iraq that will lead to a drawdown of all of our combat troops," he told reporters.
"We can't wait until the appropriations process is done in September or August... to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in June.""We can't wait until the appropriations process is done in September or August... to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in June."
Mr Gibbs added that this would be "the last supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan".Mr Gibbs added that this would be "the last supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan".
"The honest budgeting and appropriations process that the president has talked about falls somewhat victim to the fact that this is the way that wars have been funded previously," he said."The honest budgeting and appropriations process that the president has talked about falls somewhat victim to the fact that this is the way that wars have been funded previously," he said.