A U.S. newspaper reports that President Bush will ask for up to $50 billion in additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq.
The Washington Post says the administration will request the additional funds after presentation of a long-awaited report on the state of the war in Iraq in mid-September.
The new money would be in addition to the $460 billion asked for in the 2008 budget, and the $147 billion included in a pending supplemental bill to fund the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Post says the decision to ask for the extra money reflects the administration's view that it can withstand calls by the Democratic-led U.S. Congress to begin withdrawing forces from Iraq.
The report on the situation in Iraq will be delivered next month by the top two U.S. officials there - Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Army General David Petraeus. It is expected to show that the security situation has improved thanks to 28,000 additional U.S. troops sent to Iraq since January.
