Bush seeks $46bn more for Middle East wars

US PRESIDENT George W Bush will ask congress for another $46 billion (€32.5bn) to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and finance other national security needs.

The figure, which Mr Bush was expected to announce late last night at the White House, brings to $196.4bn (€138.9bn) the total requested by the administration for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere for the budget year starting on October 1.

It includes $189.3bn for the defence department, $6.9bn for the state department and $200 million for other agencies.