US Senate and House agreed Tuesday to spend some US$460 billion
in baseline defense budget for fiscal year 2008, but left most of
the US$196 billion of war funding request undecided.
The Democrats, who control both chambers, are pondering to
approve war funding in another appropriation separate from the
defense appropriation bill for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
Except US$11 billion earmarked for the Mine-Resistant Ambush
Protected Vehicles, the US$460 billion agreed by negotiators from
both the Senate and the House give no money for the ongoing
war.
The Democrats also plan to approve the Bush administration's war
funding request in two- to six-month increments, with limitations
aimed at forcing a complete withdrawal of US combat troops by
Christmas 2008.
But that plan has not been finalized yet and some Republicans
are accusing Democrats of denying money to support troops in
combat.
"It is a political ploy to try end the war by starving the
troops," said Ted Stevens, the former chairman and now ranking
Republican on the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., the House defense appropriations
subcommittee chairman, said Stevens is exaggerating the potential
impact.
A decision on the exact wording of a war-funding bill could be
made this week, Murtha said.
Stevens said the White House has opposed any efforts to put
strings on war-related funding and is unlikely to change its
policy, which could create a hardship for the military if the
president is forced to veto a war-funding bill.
However, Murtha said he believes the military can continue to
pay war-related costs through May or June by using congressionally
provided flexibility to divert money from other budget accounts,
which sets the stage for a major battle over war funding next year
just as the 2008 congressional and presidential elections heat
up.
Since the Bush administration launched the war against Iraq in
2003, the Congress has approved more than US$412 billion to support
war efforts there.
(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2007)
