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'Billions more needed for wars'
17/02/2006 08:43 - (SA)
Washington - President George W. Bush asked Congress on Thursday for $72.4bn in additional funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, the White House said.
If approved by Congress as expected, the request would raise war-related spending to nearly $400bn since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
"These funds support US armed forces and coalition partners as we advance democracy, fight the terrorists and insurgents, and train and equip Iraqi security forces so that they can defend their sovereignty and freedom," Bush said in a letter to Congress.
The bulk of the money - $34.7bn - will go to cover the cost of maintaining 138 000 US troops in Iraq and about another 15 000 in Afghanistan.
$3.7bn will go to train and equip the security forces, which now number about 227 000.
Another few billions will go to deploy better armour for US troops, replace equipment losses, and reorganise the US Army into more mobile combat brigades.
The Pentagon has come under repeated criticism for not moving quicker to give troops armor and other protection in a war zone that has claimed the lives 2 274 of US military personnel and wounded another 16 742.
$2.6bn has been earmarked for improved armour protection, night-vision gear, sensors and systems to make helicopters more survivable.
Another $1.9bn will go for efforts to develop ways to counter improvised explosive devices, the top killer of US troops.
Replacing equipment that has been destroyed in combat or worn out through wear and tear will account for $8.3bn of the extra funding.
Reorganising the army into smaller, more mobile brigade combat teams will be given $3.4bn.
The army and marine corps will get R340m to cover the costs of increasing bonuses and other incentives over the past year to overcome recruiting difficulties.
The request asks for $1.5bn to cover the costs of increased death benefits as well as benefits for military personnel wounded in combat.
"This request provides the resources necessary to continue that effort so the coalition can continue to hand over control of more territory to Iraqi forces," Bush said in his letter.
Another $1.6bn will go for "counter-insurgency and stabilisation activities"; $675m will be used to shore up provincial governments and generate jobs; and $293m will go to developing the capabilities of the national government.
In Afghanistan, the US will use $2.2bn of the funds to train and equip the security forces.
The funding request also includes $75m for a new State Department campaign to promote democracy in Iran.
Joel Kaplan, the deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said $66.3bn of the latest request for supplemental funding will go to the Defense Department.
Another $3.2bn will go to the State Department, and $2.9bn for the intelligence agencies, he said.
The request is on top of $50bn approved earlier in fiscal 2006, raising the total for the year to $120bn.
Also, the White House plans to seek another $50bn in bridge funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for fiscal 2007, which begins October 1.
The Pentagon, which has requested a $439.3bn budget for fiscal 2007 earlier this month, typically funds military operations outside of its normal budget.
- AFP
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