Bush seeks nearly $50 billion more for wars

[AliceInWonderland]

Fuck you mr. gates!

Bush seeks nearly $50 billion more for wars

Defense Secretary Gates will make appeal for $190 billion, a third more
The Associated Press

Updated: 9:20 a.m. PT Sept 26, 2007
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will ask Congress on Wednesday to approve nearly $190 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008, increasing initial projections by more than a third.

In remarks prepared for a Senate hearing, Gates says the extra money is necessary to buy vehicles that can protect troops against roadside bombs, refurbish equipment worn down by combat and consolidate U.S. bases in Iraq. A copy of the remarks was obtained by The Associated Press.

In February, Bush requested $141.7 billion for the wars; officials said at the time the figure was only a rough estimate and could climb. In July, the Defense Department asked Congress for another $5.3 billion to buy 1,500 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.

Gates says another $42 billion is needed to cover additional requirements. The extra money includes:

$11 billion to field another 7,000 MRAP vehicles in addition to the 8,000 already planned;
$9 billion to reconstitute equipment and technology;
$6 billion for training and equipment of troops;
$1 billion to improve U.S. facilities in the region and consolidate bases in Iraq;
$1 billion to train and equip Iraqi security forces.
The request for additional funds takes into account Bush’s decision to bring home five Army brigades by next summer, Gates said.

The $190 billion total would cover war costs for the 2008 budget year, which begins Monday. Congress was on track this week to pass a stopgap spending bill that would keep the war afloat for several more weeks, giving Democrats time to figure out their next step in a showdown with Bush over the U.S. mission in Iraq.

Democrats said they plan to use the spending request as leverage to bring troops home, although they lack a veto-proof majority to do so.


Congress should approve the request as quickly as possible “and without excessive and counterproductive restrictions,” Gates will tell the Senate, according to his testimony. Doing so, he added, helps the Pentagon to better manage its resources and avoid shifting money around, which often requires additional cash.

In his prepared testimony, Gates said that "I know that Iraq and other difficult choices America faces in the war on terror will continue to be a source of friction within the Congress, between the Congress and the president and in the wider public debate.

"Considering this, I would like to close with a word about something I know we can all agree on — the honor, courage and great sense of duty we have witnessed in our troops since September 11th," his testimony said.


© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: Bush seeks nearly $50 billion more for wars - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com

oh joy, forget about healthcare and education, say goodbye to the environment and clean food supplies because guess what?! ITS TIME FOR MORE WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAR WAR WAR; ALWAYS THE ANSWER!

[Just Kill Me]

War is expensive; that seems quite reasonable to me. Who needs healthcare and education when you have death anyway? Who does that song that's all "let's start a war/there's too many people"?

[AliceInWonderland]

^ your name is quite relevant to the way I'm feeling right now if this passes Just fuckin' kill me now! I'd rather die quick than from the nuclear fallout I'll suffer from once Bush starts his shit w/ Iran, Russia, Venezuela and who knows who else

[Mira]

It seems there is never any end to the money given to war, and never any end to the denials for money for life's essentials - shelter, food, health care, education. It's so disheartening.

[Just Kill Me]

OMG; check out Burma.

[nwgirl]

I wish I could work up a more violent reaction to this news. But I'm tired. Just plain tired of this shit.

[tazmin]

Is January 2009 ever gonna get here? I want this asshole out of the White House and out of my fucking life.

[Mira]

^How I wish he were the only problem. Only the tip of the iceberg.

[coolios5o]

It's funny how every year, 800 billion dollars is spent in guns and wars and for example only 60 billion is spent to the construction and developing of the water system. It is said that the main reason for terrorism is poverty and that the future wars will be about water.

It's also quite funny how the republicans are the ones in favour of the war when only few of them have actually served.

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