Pentagon to propose broader use of supplemental spending

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon is preparing an emergency spending proposal that could be larger and broader than any since the Sept. 11 attacks, covering not only the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan but extending to other military operations connected to the Bush administration’s war on terrorism.

The spending plans by military commanders may push the Defense Department into a conflict with Democrats as they take control of Capitol Hill next year. Democrats had been planning to limit the emergency “supplemental” spending measures that have funded the wars in favor of the regular federal budget process, which affords greater oversight and congressional control.

Congressional and military officials have said the Pentagon is considering a request of $127 billion to $150 billion in new emergency war spending, the largest such request since the special spending measures were begun in 2001. So far, Congress has allocated $495 billion for Afghanistan, Iraq and terrorism-related efforts.

Even within the Pentagon, the spending request is generating controversy. The Pentagon was due to forward its request to the White House by about Nov. 15. But a senior Defense official said the decision had been held up and Pentagon officials had asked Army and Air Force officials to provide more justification for the spending requests.

Pentagon officials would not comment on the budget figures, due to be made public in February.

The upcoming request, added to the $70 billion already allocated for next year, would easily exceed the annual cost of the Vietnam War at its height. Adjusted for inflation, the United States spent $121 billion on the Vietnam War in 1968, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

Still, the overall cost of the Vietnam War – about $663 billion adjusted for inflation – still exceeds the combined costs of the fighting thus far in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The next request stands to be larger in part because of new rules laid out in an Oct. 25 memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England. Rather than strictly limit spending to Iraq and Afghanistan costs, the memo said the services could include costs associated with military operations that are part of the larger war on terrorism.

Previously, the military portion of the supplemental spending measures has been used almost exclusively for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. England’s memo would allow the military branches to include a greater number of expenses more loosely tied to the wars, such as new military weapons systems and training exercises.

The cost and approach of the spending request are likely to meet with resistance in Congress. Democratic congressional aides said the new majority on Capitol Hill was likely to push back against a request that exceeded $100 billion.

“This was a dream list for the military,” said one aide, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity.

Democrats said a supplemental of $80 billion to $100 billion would be more realistic.