Pentagon Wants Over $200 Billion To Fund Trump's Iran War

Any funding package would need 60 votes to get through the US Senate, requiring some Democratic support. As of this writing, neither Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) nor House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has responded to reports of the Pentagon's request.

The Post reported Wednesday that“it remains unclear how much the White House will ultimately ask congressional lawmakers to approve,” and that“some White House officials do not think the Pentagon's request has a realistic shot of being approved in Congress.”

Prior to the start of the Iran assault, Trump called for a $1.5 trillion US military budget for the coming fiscal year even after the Pentagon failed its eighth consecutive audit.

The Pentagon's push for $200 billion in Iran war funding comes after US investigators reportedly determined that American forces were responsible for the bombing-on the first day of the war-of an Iranian elementary school that killed around 175 people, mostly young children.

News of the Pentagon's funding request came as Reuters reported that the Trump administration is“considering deploying thousands of US troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the US military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran.”

“The deployments could help provide Trump with additional options as he weighs expanding US operations, with the Iran war well into its third week,” Reuters reported.“Those options include securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a mission that would be accomplished primarily through air and naval forces, the sources said. But securing the Strait could also mean deploying US troops to Iran's shoreline, said four sources, including two US officials.”

“The Trump administration has also discussed options to send ground forces to Iran's Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of Iran's oil exports,” Reuters added.“One of the officials said such an operation would be very risky. Iran has the ability to reach the island with missiles and drones.”

Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy, said Wednesday that“we are seeing the Iran war become a quagmire in real time.”

“Asking US taxpayers to spend $50 billion on a war Trump claims we have already won was outrageous enough,” said Williams.“Quadrupling that within a week shows a total lack of understanding or control over what he has gotten us into.”