Bush seeks cash to fund wars into spring

US PRESIDENT George W Bush sent legislators a $70 billion (€45.4bn) request yesterday to fund US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next spring, which would give the next president breathing room to make his or her own war policy.

Yesterday’s request fills in the details of the request that the White House asked for when it sent its budget to Congress in February.

Congressional analysts say Bush’s request would bring the total spending since September 11, 2001, to fight terrorism and conduct the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to $875billion.