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12/14/2004:

"Pentagon Emergency: Additional $80 Billion For Iraq, Afghanistan"

Pentagon officials said they will ask the Bush administration for an additional $80 billion in emergency funding to help pay costs of the military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, slightly higher than the $70 billion to $75 billion many on Capitol Hill had expected.

The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports Tuesday: "Senior Pentagon officials met to review and finalize the new budget request before sending it to the White House this week.

"The final White House request, which will be submitted to Congress early next year, would probably come in between $75 billion and $80 billion, pushing the total military costs, since the Iraq war began, to well over $230 billion. 'The [Defense Department] request is on the higher side of our expectations,' said an official involved in the process. 'We are still sorting through it to figure out what the final number will be.'" Another "US official said the total Pentagon request would likely be in the $80 billion to $89 billion range."
drudgereport.com