Bush asks Congress for more war money

By Susan Cornwell and Caren Bohan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush asked Congress on Monday for $189.3 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, another huge request that faced deep skepticism from lawmakers opposed to prolonging the Iraq conflict.

Bush's request covers military operations for fiscal 2008, which began on October 1, the White House said. If approved it would make 2008 the most expensive year in the Iraq and Afghan wars and would be on top of about $600 billion already approved for those conflicts.

House of Representatives appropriators said earlier this month they would not even consider the new war funding request until early 2008, and that they wanted to link it to a plan to bring U.S. combat troops home.

But they left open the possibility of paying for the war through an interim measure called a "bridge fund."

In announcing the latest war request, Bush prodded Congress to approve the request swiftly and unconditionally.

"They should pass a good, clean bill as soon as possible," Bush told reporters at an event where he was flanked by veterans and family members of fallen soldiers. Lawmakers who say they support the troops should "show it," he said.

"Congress should not go home for the holidays while our troops are still waiting for the funds they need," Bush said.

"Isn't this getting to be a little old?" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democratic war opponent from Nevada, asked on the Senate floor after Bush spoke.

Reid and other Democrats noted Bush had recently vetoed a bill to expand a popular children's health program. "We've been fighting for America's priorities while the president continues investing only in his failed war strategy," Reid said.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat, said there would be no "blank checks" for the war.

"Every line-item will be scrutinized," he said. "Hearings will be held to determine the need for this spending request. Tough questions will be asked of this administration."

In addition to the money for the Pentagon, Bush asked for $6.9 billion for the State Department to support diplomacy and development in Iraq and Afghanistan, including $160 million for Iraqi refugees in other countries. With $200 million for other agencies, the total administration request was $196.4 billion.

The request included $724 million for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Darfur and $500 million to help Mexico combat the narcotics trade. There was $375 million to help the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank resolve its fiscal crisis and $106 million to provide assistance to North Korea in return for actions taken on denuclearization.

The Pentagon had asked for $141.7 billion for the Iraq and Afghan wars earlier this year, submitting it at the same time that Bush submitted the rest of the budget. In July the Pentagon sought $5.3 billion more to procure additional vehicles with V-shaped hulls to disperse the impact of bombs.

The documents sent to Congress on Monday asked for another $42.3 billion, bringing the Pentagon total to $189.3 billion.