Iraq war now costing US $4.7bn a month

THE war in Iraq, which is costing the US $4.7 billion per month, is being pushed over budget by the increased violence, threatening a $4bn shortfall by late summer.

General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the recent decision to extend the stay of some 20,000 troops will cost roughly $700 million more over three months.

And the White House kept open the possibility that it will seek additional funds before the end of this election year.

"When the service chiefs last talked about this, there was, I think, a $4 billion shortfall," Myers told the House Armed Services Committee. "We thought we could get through all of August. We'd have to figure out how to do September."

Defence officials are studying their budget, which runs through to September 30, to determine whether some money can be moved from purchase programmes or other Pentagon accounts, Myers said.

Lawmakers expect to have a defence bill in place by the time the new budget year begins on October 1.

But the version Bush proposed had no money for US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. White House officials have already said they would propose a separate bill after this autumns's elections costing up to $50 billion to pay for the war.

Republican Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he plans to attach an additional $20 billion to the 2005 defence bill now being considered.