By David Gardner
24th November 2009
Barack Obama will wipe out his efforts to save the US economy if he sends more troops to Afghanistan, a senior Democrat warned last night.
David Obey, chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee said Americans could be forced to pay a 'war tax' if the conflict escalates .
He spoke out after another four U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan and Nato urged allies to commit extra forces to help combat the resurgent Taliban.
President Obama will hold another meeting with advisers tonight over Pentagon requests for up to 40,000 reinforcements.
But Mr Obey said he feared the President would bankrupt his domestic agenda if he ups the ante in Afghanistan. 'There ain't going to be no money for nothing if we pour it all into Afghanistan,' he told ABC News.
'If they ask for an increased troop commitment in Afghanistan, I am going to ask them to pay for it,' he added.
The powerful House Appropriations Committee controls the purse strings in Congress and the chairman's remarks reflect the growing unease among senior Democrats over the war.
'On the merits, I think it is a mistake to deepen our involvement,' said Mr Obey. 'But if we are going to do that, then at least we ought to pay for it. Because if we don't, if we don't pay for it, the cost of the Afghan war will wipe out every initiative we have to rebuild our own economy.'
