War Price Tag To Top $50 Billion

The Bush administration's next request for financing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will push next year's total beyond $50 billion, a top Pentagon official told the U.S. Congress on Thursday.

The remark by Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz put a partial price tag on operations in both countries for the budget year that begins next Oct. 1. The administration has long insisted it will not be able to accurately estimate those costs for many months because of uncertainties over conditions in Iraq and possible contributions by allies.

President Bush had formally sought an initial $25 billion for next year's military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan on Wednesday. Administration officials notified congressional leaders about the request a week earlier, abruptly reversing earlier declarations that they would not seek the money until after the November elections.

On Thursday, Wolfowitz told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the administration's second request for funds will come early next year.

"It will surely be much larger than $25 billion," he said.

That would bring the total requested so far for next year to over $50 billion. Many lawmakers of both parties have said they believe even that figure will ultimately prove short by many billions of dollars.

Mr. Bush's initial request for $25 billion would give him nearly unfettered control over details of how the money would be spent, which drew fire from senators.

Though Congress is considered certain to provide the money he wants, it is uncertain whether it will grant him such leeway in dispensing it. Democrats and some Republicans, rankled by reports that the administration used earlier funds for Iraq war preparations without telling them, are leery of providing him with unlimited flexibility in spending the money.

"This is not responsible because it's just a blank check for $25 billion," said Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, top Democrat on the committee. "So in terms of balance with Congress, there's no balance here."

Sen. John McCain said he was troubled by a request "that basically outlines some priorities and that states it can be used for any fund."

The deputy secretary also got a hard time from Sen. Hillary Clinton, reports CBS News Correspondent Bob Fuss. The New York Democrat told Wolfowitz he has "no credibility" to tell them how many troops will be needed and how much money is needed because he has misled them every step of the way, starting with saying the Iraqis would welcome Americans as "liberators" and that their oil revenue would pay for the reconstruction.

Wolfowitz defended the administration's request for flexibility.

"We're not looking for a blank check," he said. "We are looking for the kind of flexibility that will make sure that when a need arises, we can allocate funds to where that need exists."

According to the lower request, the $25 billion would be placed in a fund under Mr. Bush's control. He could decide how the money would be spent, as long as he informed Congress that his request was "an emergency and essential to support activities and agencies in Iraq or Afghanistan."

"This reserve fund will ensure that our men and women in uniform continue to have the resources they need when they need them," Mr. Bush wrote in a brief request barely longer than three pages.

The documents said the largest portion of the funds — up to $14 billion — may be used for Army operations and maintenance, which includes items like fuel purchases and equipment repair. As much as $6 billion could be for Navy, Marines, Air Force and Defense Department-wide operations and maintenance, and up to $5 billion would be for classified and other programs.

But the request says the Defense Department could transfer any of the $25 billion "to any fund" of the department or to classified programs, as long as the administration notifies Congress five days in advance.

The $25 billion is just a first installment in paying for U.S. military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan next year, and it excludes any additional costs for rebuilding the two countries. Some lawmakers have said they expect the final amount to reach $75 billion for the Pentagon alone.