Bush signs spending bill to pay for wars

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Monday signed legislation to pay for the war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of his presidency and beyond, bringing to more than $650 billion the amount Congress has provided for the Iraq war since it began more than five years ago.

For operations in Afghanistan, the total is nearly $200 billion, according to congressional officials.

The bill will fund the wars well into next year, when their fate will be in the hands of Bush’s successor.

It also gives the next president several months to set Iraq policy after taking office in January — and spares lawmakers the need to cast more war-funding votes closer to Election Day.

The bill also includes an expansion of veterans benefits and an extension of jobless aid.

Soldiers, Marines ordered to go to Iraq

Army brigades from Texas, New York and Pennsylvania and two Marine units from North Carolina have been ordered to deploy to Iraq early next year, the Pentagon announced Monday.

The units — which include about 33,000 troops — would replace forces already in Iraq and allow the U.S. to maintain 15 combat brigades in the country through 2009 if needed.

The units are:

1st and 2nd brigades, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

56th Stryker Brigade, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard

6th and 8th regimental combat teams, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Iraq opens bidding on eight oil and gas fields

Iraq’s oil minister on Monday announced the start of bidding by foreign companies for contracts to boost the production of eight underperforming oil and gas fields.

Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said 35 companies had been selected to bid. Among them were seven from the U.S. and four each from China and Japan.

The contracts, to be carried out in about 18 months, would increase production by 1.5 million barrels per day by 2013, approaching the pre-war level of 4.5 million barrels a day, al-Shahristani said.