"Today I'm sending the Congress a wartime supplemental appropriations request of 74.7 billion dollars to fund needs directly arising from the Iraqi conflict and our global war against terror," Bush said at the Pentagon, after being briefed on the war in Iraq by US military leaders.

Bush said the money will pay for the massive task of deploying troops to the Gulf region and cover the current cost of fueling US ships, aircraft and tanks, and of airlifting supplies into the theater of operations.

He said the request also includes funds for relief and reconstruction in Iraq after the Iraqi government is disarmed.

According to the breakdown by White House officials, 62.6 billion dollars of the supplemental will be used to fund the Iraq war and the global war on terror. The rest will be earmarked for relief and reconstruction in Iraq, aid to some allied countries and homeland defense programs.

Bush urged Congressional leaders to act quickly to approve the supplemental and grant him flexibility in how to spend the money.

"The situation in any war is fluid. ... I'm asking Congress forflexibility in how these funds can be allocated. ...They also heard the message that the need is urgent," he said.

"One thing that's for certain: business as usual on Capitol Hill can't go on during this time of war," Bush noted. His aides suggest that the White House expects the request to be approved before April 11.

Talking about the ongoing war in Iraq, the US president said that the US-led coalition forces are making good progress. "The coalition is on a steady advance," he said.

Aware of preliminary speculations for a swift victory, Bush admitted that "we cannot know the duration of this war."

But he stressed that the United States knows the outcome and will prevail in the war which has entered the 7th day.

(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2003)