Gates Boosts War Request to Nearly $190B

Training, equipment top priorities for troops in Iraq, Afghanistan
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 26, 2007 4:41 PM CDT
Gates Boosts War Request to Nearly $190B
Defense Secretary Robert Gates takes his seat on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007, prior to testifying before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to discuss presidential supplemental budget request for the Iraq and Afghanistan war efforts. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)   (Associated Press)

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked Congress today for an extra $42 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, driving the tab for the next fiscal year up to nearly $190 billion, Reuters reports. The extra money is primarily for training and specialized equipment for the wars such as new armored vehicles designed to withstand blasts from improvised explosive devices.

In his remarks, Gates acknowledged the controversy surrounding the war effort. "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 and in the wider public debate," he said, noting that the new money requested was for the troops and their safety. (More Robert Gates stories.)

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