Iraq, Afghanistan will cost US 190 bn in 2008

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost at least 190 billion in 2008, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, making it the most expensive year in the conflicts since they were launched by US President George W Bush. Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked Congress to approve the funding after Bush this month beat back demands from Democrats for a quick end to the Iraq war and said the US presence there would go on after he leaves office in 2009. Gates said he hoped longer-term for a much smaller US force than the 1,65,000 troops currently in Iraq. The Pentagon8217;s request was made as senators reached a rare 8212; but symbolic 8212; consensus on a proposal on how to proceed in Iraq, passing a non-binding resolution calling for the creation of separate Sunni, Shi8217;ite and Kurdish 8220;federal regions8221; with a weak central government in Baghdad.

ON THURSDAY

8226; US forces detained 21 suspected insurgents during operations targeting al Qaeda members in Samarra and Baiji, the US military said.

8226; A car bomb near a mosque killed one person and wounded two in New Baghdad district of eastern Baghdad, police said.