Bush May Seek Billions for Iraq After Election

Yahoo News ^

[KantianBurke]

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) may seek an additional $40 billion or more for military operations in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) next year -- on top of the $400-billion military budget he will send to Congress next month, congressional sources and budget analysts said on Wednesday.

But Bush is unlikely to send the request to Congress until after the November presidential election to minimize any political damage, the sources said.

Bush's Democratic challengers have criticized the high cost of the war in Iraq and its chaotic aftermath. They say Iraq has cost $120 billion so far despite initial administration assurances that it would be "an affordable endeavor."

White House budget officials said it is premature to speculate about an emergency war supplemental for the 2005 fiscal year starting Oct. 1.

But congressional sources said preliminary planning is underway and a request would be send to Congress in late 2004 or early 2005.

"Every presidential contender is going to be subject to political demands. But no matter who wins (the election), we're going to see a request," one congressional aide said.

Its size could vary widely depending on the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, budget analysts and congressional aides said.

If the administration can reduce the number of troops there from more than 100,000 to 75,000, about another $25 billion would be needed in fiscal 2005 to supplement the military's regular budget, said Steven Kosiak, a defense analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere could add another $15 billion. Kosiak said the emergency request could total $40 billion to $50 billion.

Other analysts and congressional aides said it could be closer to $75 billion or $100 billion. U.S. military plans hinge on a smooth hand-over of political power by June 30 and rebuilding the Iraqi Army.

"They're playing it week by week because they don't know ... Things could go worse than expected or they could go better than expected," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a defense policy research group.

A senior congressional aide attributed the push for additional funds to concerns that Bush's "new budget contains little or no money for Iraq's shadow rulers after June 30."

TOPPING OFF

Bush won approval from Congress last year for two war supplementals -- one for $79 billion and another for $87.5 billion for Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"It's a little early to be speculating about the deployment (in Iraq) for October and beyond," an administration official said on Wednesday.

Bush has been under pressure from his conservative Republican base to rein in record budget deficits, expected to hit $500 billion this fiscal year alone.

In his $2.3 trillion budget for fiscal 2005, to be sent to Congress on Feb. 2, Bush wants to limit growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent. The Defense Department is expected to receive more than $400 billion, a modest increase.

That would cover normal Pentagon (news - web sites) activities -- not peacekeeping or combat operations, which would be funded through an emergency request.

"It is uncertain what level of resources will be required and it's uncertain when they will need it. But they will need to have to come to ask for additional money at some point in fiscal 2005," said Kosiak.

Others said the administration would need up to $100 billion on top of the Pentagon's normal budget, and the only issue was timing.

"From a budget standpoint, I don't think they have to put in another (supplemental) this year," Pike said.

Proposing it before the election would only "give the Democrats an opportunity to stage another food fight on the president's Iraq policy," Pike added.

[RiflemanSharpe]

This is just speculation with a a named reliable source. It may just be a trial balloon.

[FirstPrinciple]

Uh huh. Then maybe we should get out of Iraq. Maybe we shouldn't have gone into Iraq in the first place. Maybe Bush should have told the truth about Iraq.

[Kay Soze]

No more money!

[Prodigal Son]

Just run away huh?

Like we did in Somalia?

We would be inviting another terrorist attack if we did so.

The war began in 1990. Dubya didn't begin it. Dubya didn't put us in Iraq. He is ending it though. Be glad of this.

[BushisTheMan]

Well then, let's pack up and get out. You sound just like Kerry and Edwards and Dean and all the other Dems. Better yet, why don't you just have all the congressmen vote against it. Yeah that's the ticket! Let's leave our soldiers swinging in the wind. Yeah, let's pull out and say France and Germany were right. Yeah, let's just give up and bend over.

[alnick]

The president has more important things to do than to try to appease the unappeasable, and to respond to speculation by the media.

[OldFriend]

Why not say he's asking for $20 trillion.

[Howlin]

congressional sources and budget analysts said on Wednesday.

Any questions about exactly WHO they may be?

[Howlin]

Just like Ridge's little "suggestion" about legal status during his town hall meeting?

Gosh, at least TRY to give the appearance of not spreading rumors.

Ridge SAID it and was named.

Nobody is named here.

[Howlin]

This is just speculation with a a named reliable source.

What's the name?

[JohnGalt]

The Chinese are deciding between Rockefeller tower or the Houston Rockets.

This is the lamest trial balloon I have seen since, well, you said it, Ridge.

They didn't even have the guts to go on the record.

I honestly believe Rove and the Republican elite have decided to send conservatives out to pasture.

We were useful until November 1994.

[KantianBurke]

Hmmm...nah no thanks. I'd ask those Iraqis for a cut of the oil profits we were kind enough to liberate from Saadam's grasp.

[KantianBurke]

MY inside sources tell me that it was YOU Howlin who talked to the press! :>

[sinkspur]

How's about someone from the Administration comment on this then?

They're not monkeys to your organ grinding, KB, like the others who flock when you call.

[Howlin]

If that's your answer to who the source is, you're standing on shaky ground. I'm surprised at you.

[KantianBurke]

Can I quote you on that? :>

[JohnGalt]

Do you want to put an Over/Under wager on the "additional monies" for Iraq?

Lets assume they went high here for effect and will only ask for $16.5 billion. You pick over or under.

$25 to a pro-life cause of the victor's choice, fair?

[Ohioan]

If American troops are still in Iraq in large numbers on election day, I suspect that there will be another President next January 20th. Rhetoric and braggadocio, does not establish the cause and effect relationships for which the Administration is contending. And that is going to become more obvious with every passing month.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[sinkspur]

Maybe Bush should have told the truth about Iraq.

He did.

Maybe you'd like to take up your complaint with every intelligence agency in the entire world which said that Hussein had WMDs.

[sinkspur]

Of course there'll be a request for money for Iraq.

The thing that gets me is how juvenile you guys are about something like this.

Why don't you find your own website where you can trash Bush 24/7?

If you guys keep this up, and donors decide to leave, Jim's not going to put up with this stuff.

It's happened before.