This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 8, March 26-April 1, 2006
US War Spending to
Rise 44% to $9.8 B a Month, Report Says
US military spending in Iraq
and Afghanistan will average 44 percent more in the current fiscal year than in
2005, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said.
BY JEFF BLISS US military spending in
Iraq and Afghanistan will average 44 percent more in the current fiscal year
than in 2005, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said. Spending will rise to $9.8
billion a month from the $6.8 billion a month the Pentagon said it spent last
year, the research service said. The group's March 10 report cites "substantial"
expenses to replace or repair damaged weapons, aircraft, vehicles, radios and
spare parts. It also figures in costs
for health care, fuel, national intelligence and the training of Iraqi and
Afghan security forces -"now a substantial expense," it said. The research service said
it considers "all war and occupation costs," while the Pentagon counts just the
cost of personnel, maintenance and operations. The U.S. Congress approved
March 16 emergency funding that includes military spending y a vote of 348-71.
The measure authorizes $72 billion for war costs and almost $20 billion for
hurricane relief. The Senate is expected to pass it next month. The U.S. Congress has
already approved $50 billion in supplemental war funding for the current fiscal
year, which ends Sept. 30, after spending $100 billion last year. To date,
Congress has approved about $337 billion for the wars since Sept. 11, 2001. 2007
funding The administration has said
it also will seek $50 billion in war funding for fiscal year 2007 to serve as a
bridge fund until needs are assessed. That will be on top of the $439.3 billion
defense budget the president submitted. The request the House
approved March 16 includes $67.6 billion for war operations, much of it in costs
for personnel and repair and replacement of equipment; about $4.9 billion to
train and equip Afghan and Iraqi security forces; and about $2 billion for
defenses against roadside bombs, which have been a leading cause of death for US
servicemen in Iraq. To date, 2,310 members of
the US military have died in Iraq since the war began three years ago, 1,808 of
them in combat, according to the Pentagon. The hurricane money
approved will go toward housing, enhancing levees and public safety projects in
Louisiana and Mississippi following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina
last August, the administration said. Spending on the wars and
hurricane relief will widen the federal budget deficit to a record $423 billion
this fiscal 2006, an increase from last year's $319 billion deficit, the
administration forecasted last month. $87
billion already Of the $87 billion already
approved for hurricane relief and rebuilding, $31 billion has been earmarked for
health and social services, school repairs, payments to farmers and unemployment
insurance; $41 billion is going to temporary housing and flood insurance
payments and $15 billion is set aside for levee and road repairs and repairs to
damaged federal facilities, according to the administration. The measure passed includes
an amendment to prohibit a Dubai owned company from operating port facilities at
the U.S. DP World, the third-largest container port operator. The company has
already promised it will sell its U.S. operations to a U.S. buyer. Most
lawmakers conceded the issue was moot but wanted their opposition to the
original deal to be on record. Other amendments provide
extra money for anti-drug operations in Colombia and peacekeeping efforts in the
Darfur region of Sudan. Posted by Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
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Posted by Bulatlat