WASHINGTON: While admitting that "we do not know the duration of this war", President Bush yesterday asked Congress for $74.6 billion in emergency funding believed to anticipate a period of 30 days of intense conflict, writes Conor O'Clery, in New York.
The measure is likely to be passed by Congress but in a sign of major trouble ahead for the president's planned tax reductions, a number of Republicans joined the Democratic minority in the Senate yesterday to slash his proposed tax cuts by half in this years budget.
The sum requested by the White House is meant to pay for the war and the first six months of the US occupation and for strengthening counter-terrorism efforts at home. It does not cover any war expenses after August and includes only $1.7 billion for the post-war reconstruction of Iraq and $543 million in humanitarian aid.
"We cannot know the duration of this war, yet we know its outcome: We will prevail," Mr Bush told US military personnel at the Pentagon. "The Iraq regime will be disarmed. The Iraq regime will be ended. The Iraq people will be free and our world will be more secure and peaceful."
US officials said the estimate was based on conflict lasting weeks and that it was not given before now because, if Saddam Hussein had been killed on the first day, the regime would have collapsed more quickly.
Mr Bush's request to Congress came on the eve of a two-day meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Camp David today and tomorrow to assess a war which may see more intense and lengthy fighting that predicted by Pentagon planners.
They will also discuss post-war reconstruction, the White House press secretary, Mr Ari Fleischer, said.
Up to yesterday at least 20 US troops had been killed and 14 captured or listed as missing in Iraq. "The people of our military and their families are showing great courage and some have suffered great loss," Mr Bush said. "America is grateful to all those who have sacrificed in our cause."
The emergency down-payment for the war, he said, would pay "for the massive task of transporting a fully equipped military force, both active duty and reserve, to a region half way around the world."
It would cover the current cost of fuelling ships, aircraft and tanks, airlifting tonnes of supplies to the theatre of operations and replacing high-tech munitions such as cruise missiles.
"The Iraqi people will see the great compassion of not only the United States but other nations around the world who care deeply about the human condition inside that country," said Mr Bush.
The request is likely to be passed by the Republican-dominated Congress by mid-April.
Democrats have complained the final cost of the war could be twice the amount requested. They also accused the White House of delaying its estimate of war costs while pressing for its tax cuts to be included in the overall budget. Mr Bush has legislated for $726 billion in tax cuts over 10 years.
The White House has resisted providing Congress members and journalists with any estimated bill for several months and, now the war has started, it is unlikely to meet resistance from Congress for funds to supply troops on the battle-field.
"The need is urgent," Mr Bush said. "The wartime supplemental is directly related to winning this war and securing the peace that will follow this war. I ask Congress to act quickly and responsibly."
The bulk of the supplemental - $62.6 billion - will go to the Pentagon's war effort and Democratic critics complained it would almost all be spent with little Congressional oversight.
"We need to provide every single dime the troops need, but I do think we need to know where it's going and for what purpose," said Congressman David Obey, the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
Another $4.2 billion will be set aside for domestic security and $7.8 billion for extra aid to US allies. This includes $1 billion for grants and federal backing of up to $9 billion in guaranteed loans for Israel; $1.1 billion for Jordan; up to $1 billion for Egypt and $400 million for humanitarian aid and economic development in Afghanistan.
It also includes $1 billion for Turkey which stood to receive a much greater aid package if it had allowed the US to use its territory for an invasion of Iraq from the north.