Pentagon seeks $ 500 billion for its 2008 Budget

Washington, Feb 7: The US Defence Department has submitted a 481.4 billion dollar request to Congress to support operations around the world and in cyberspace for the fiscal 2008, beginning October 1.

However, according to official sources, actual defence spending will be substantially larger as the request also includes a second 2007 supplemental request of 93.4 billion dollar to cover military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan so the military services do not run out of money by April.

An earlier supplemental request was granted by Congress for 70 billion dollar.

The Pentagon says it will need an additional 141.7 billion dollar in 2008 to continue sustaining military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the global war on terrorism, with nearly 40 billion dollar of the sum earmarked for replacing or repairing equipment destroyed or damaged in combat.

Iraq and Afghanistan are central to the US counterterrorism strategy, with a request for two billion dollar to help Iraqi forces become self-reliant and 2.7 billion dollar for Afghan security force improvements.

Around 20 billion dollar is being sought to defeat or protect against roadside bombs.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the Pentagon February 5 the new budget makes needed strategic investments, improves military readiness, recalibrates deployments overseas, and funds anti-terrorism operations not only in Afghanistan and Iraq but ''elsewhere in the ongoing campaign against violent jihadist networks around the globe.''

UNI

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