Bush appeals to US congress for money for Iraq

Washington: US President George W. Bush appealed to the US Congress to give him real money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not just a pledge to fund the troops.

In his weekly radio address, Bush said, "A congressional promise, even if enacted, does not pay the bills." He added, "It is time for Congress to provide our troops with actual funding."

The broadcast was the president's latest shot in a battle the White House is having with Congress over spending bills.

The Senate on Friday passed a defence policy bill for the 2008 budget year. It authorises $696 billion in military spending, including US$189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bush said, "Congress has had plenty of time to consider the emergency funds our troops. Time is running out, and Pentagon officials say that continued delay in funding our troops will soon begin to have a damaging impact on the operations of our military."