Obama allocates more war funds for Afghanistan than Iraq

Source: Xinhua | 05-08-2009 08:59

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama allocated more war funds for Afghanistan than those earmarked for Iraq in a budget plan he unveiled Thursday.

The president proposed 130 billion U.S. dollars in appropriation to support overseas military operations in fiscal year 2010 that begins Oct. 1, including 65 billion dollars for Afghanistan and 61 billion dollars for Iraq, according to his budget plan released by the White House.

It marks the first time that war spending for Afghanistan overtook those for Iraq and is in accordance with the new administration's ongoing shift of war focus from Iraq to Afghanistan.

Steve Stanley, the director of force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that the budget request represents "where you're going to first see the swing of not only dollars or resources, but combat capability" from Iraq to Afghanistan.

"The money requested here -- about 65 billion dollars for Afghanistan -- actually exceeds the 61 billion dollars that we're requesting for Iraq," he said.

"So that's the first time in our war costs request," the official added.