Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Miami Herald
March 6, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is ready to ask Congress for more money for President Bush's plan to send 21,500 new combat troops into Iraq.
The move would pay for support personnel and otherwise update last month's request for the Iraq war. It probably will draw criticism from Democrats who say the Pentagon had intentionally made estimates too low of the costs of Bush's plan.
The latest request could come as early as today and would modify last month's $93.4 billion request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through Sept. 30.
Although the changes may be relatively modest, they nonetheless are embarrassing to the White House and the Pentagon, which earlier dismissed criticism from lawmakers that the original $5.6 billion estimate for the troop buildup was too low.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England told the Senate Budget Committee last week that about 6,000 additional support personnel would be needed to complement the 21,500 additional combat troops.
Hours after England testified, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten paid a rare visit to the Capitol to press Senate Republican leaders for the additional money.
The White House will press for more dollars to battle the resurgence of the Taliban militia in Afghanistan and to get mine-resistant vehicles.
The request probably will come to about $2 billion.
March 6, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House is ready to ask Congress for more money for President Bush's plan to send 21,500 new combat troops into Iraq.
The move would pay for support personnel and otherwise update last month's request for the Iraq war. It probably will draw criticism from Democrats who say the Pentagon had intentionally made estimates too low of the costs of Bush's plan.
The latest request could come as early as today and would modify last month's $93.4 billion request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through Sept. 30.
Although the changes may be relatively modest, they nonetheless are embarrassing to the White House and the Pentagon, which earlier dismissed criticism from lawmakers that the original $5.6 billion estimate for the troop buildup was too low.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England told the Senate Budget Committee last week that about 6,000 additional support personnel would be needed to complement the 21,500 additional combat troops.
Hours after England testified, White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten paid a rare visit to the Capitol to press Senate Republican leaders for the additional money.
The White House will press for more dollars to battle the resurgence of the Taliban militia in Afghanistan and to get mine-resistant vehicles.
The request probably will come to about $2 billion.