US seeks more money to train Iraqi forces

An armed Iraqi officer surveys the scene following a car bomb yesterday in Baghdad. PHOTO: AFP

The funding could come either from a new 75-80 billion dollar supplemental budget to be submitted to Congress this February, or by diverting more funds from Washington's 18.4 billion dollar reconstruction package for Iraq.

"I don't know if we have to put more from the 18.4 (billion) in. I guess if we have to, we will," said an US embassy official on condition of anonymity.

"We already have taken a lot of money out from some of the bigger long range projects. To take out more is going to be very painful but we know we need more additional support."

Last summer, the US embassy performed a top-to-bottom review of spending priorities in its 18.4 billion dollar aide package and recommended diverting 1.8 billion dollars to security from electricity and water projects.