Bush's proposal is expected to include some $245 billion to fund antiterrorism operations and U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan -- $100 billion for the rest of the current fiscal year, and $145 billion for fiscal year 2008, which begins October 1.
Bush's budget request, which is expected to total some $2.9 trillion, is likely to be debated for months by Congress before lawmakers vote on a final spending plan.
In a related development, lawmakers are also expected today to start debating a Democrat-backed resolution opposing Bush's deployment of more than 21,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq.
Reports say lawmakers from Bush's Republican Party are seeking to block a vote on the non-binding resolution, with some Republicans saying such a resolution would amount to a demoralizing vote of no confidence in the U.S. military.
(compiled from agency reports)
The International Coalition In Iraq
Georgian soldiers marking Georgian Independence Day in Baghdad on June 6 (epa)
COALITION MEMBERS: In addition to the United States, 28 countries are Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) contributors as of May 31, 2006: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Fiji is participating as part of the UN mission in Iraq. Hungary, Iceland, Slovenia, and Turkey are NATO countries supporting Iraqi stability operations but are not part of MNF-I.
NON-U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL IN IRAQ: United Kingdom, 8,000 as of May 26, 2006; South Korea, 3,237 as of May 9, 2006; Italy, 2,900 as of April 27, 2006; Poland, 900 as of May 30, 2006; Australia, 900 as of March 28, 2006; Georgia, 900 as of March 24, 2006; Romania, 860 as of April 27, 2006; Japan, 600 as of May 30, 2006; Denmark, 530 as of May 23, 2006; All others, 1,140.
(Source: The Washington-based Brooking Institution’s Iraq Index of June 15, 2006)
THE COMPLETE STORY: RFE/RL's complete coverage of events in Iraq and that country's ongoing transition.
RADIO FREE IRAQ: To visit the Arab-language website of RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq, click here.
