Obama asks for €63bn for war strategy

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has formally asked lawmakers for another $83.4 billion (€63.46bn) to pay for the immediate needs of his revamped strategy for Afghanistan and Iraq.

In a letter to his top Democratic ally in the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Obama pleaded for swift passage of the emergency spending measure, citing the worsening situation in Afghanistan.

“We face a security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan that demands urgent attention. The Taliban is resurgent and al-Qaida threatens America from its safe haven along the Afghan-Pakistan border,” he said.

The package includes items not related to the two conflicts, including $350 million (€266m) for security and counter-narcotics work along the US-Mexico border and $89.5m (€68.11m) to secure Russian nuclear materials and pursue dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear work.