Obama seeks 83.4b for Af-Pak strategy

Nearly 95 per cent of these funds will be used to support our men and women in uniform as they help the people of Iraq to take responsibility for their own future and work to8230; defeat al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Obama said in his letter on Thursday.

He assured the Congress that his funding request will ensure that the full force of the US is engaged in an overall effort to defeat al-Qaeda and uproot the safe haven from which it plans and trains for attacks on the US and its allies.

In a statement,Pelosi said Obamas request would be looked into carefully.

We are increasing our troop commitment,we will employ the necessary civilian resources to build Afghan governance capacity and self-sufficiency, Obama said in the letter. Obama said this would be the last supplemental request coming from the White House.