Obama
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
November 11, 2016
U.S. President Barack Obama has asked Congress for an additional $11.6 billion to fund the fights against militants in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The request seeks an additional $5.8 billion for Pentagon military operations in Afghanistan and for the campaign against the Islamic State extremist group in Iraq and Syria. An additional $5.8 billion was requested for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development “to counter extremism.”
Part of the money would be used to modernize the Afghan military’s helicopter fleet and to pay for elevated U.S. troops levels of 8,400 in Afghanistan.
Congress is due to return from election campaigning for a “lame duck” session likely centered on such funding legislation before the newly elected Congress starts in January.
U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he would review the request, but believes it is too low.
“The amount still does not accommodate the increased pace of operations against ISIL and does nothing to begin addressing the readiness crisis,” Thornberry said, using an acronym for Islamic State.
Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.
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