Just so you know, and I'm speaking to you, the undecided voter concerned about the war and budget deficits, "staying the course" is a costly, to say nothing of dangerous, choice.

The Washington Post reports ("Increase in War Funding Sought," by Jonathan Weisman and Thomas E. Ricks):

The Bush administration intends to seek about $70 billion in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early next year, pushing total war costs close to $225 billion since the invasion of Iraq early last year, Pentagon and congressional officials said yesterday. [...]

The new numbers underscore that the war is going to be far more costly and intense, and last longer, than the administration first suggested. [...]

A $70 billion request would be considerably larger than lawmakers had anticipated earlier this year. After the president unexpectedly submitted an $87 billion request for the Iraq and Afghanistan efforts last year, many Republicans angrily expressed sticker shock and implored the administration not to surprise them again.

Timing is everything. Remember: The upcoming request is in addition to the $25 billion Congress allocated for Iraq and Afghanistan for fiscal 2005. So it was either $25 billion or $95 billion, but who's counting? Is anyone counting?

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