Bush to ask for $70 billion in partial 2009 war funding

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: reuters

The Bush administration will ask Congress next week for $70 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other related operations for part of the 2009 fiscal year, the Pentagon said on Monday.

"We'll send up the fiscal year '09 budget (next Monday)," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "It will have a request for an emergency allowance to support activities related to the global war on terror into 2009 ... in the amount of 70 billion."

The funding would be in addition to the administration's request for the regular Pentagon budget which is to be presented next week.

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Congress has approved $691 billion to pay for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and such related activities as Iraq reconstruction, the Congressional Budget Office said last week.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2846780020080128