August 01, 2007, 09:04

Washington: President George W. Bush's nominee to be top military adviser said on Tuesday the United States would be in Iraq for "years not months" and a Pentagon official said the war was costing even more than expected.

Navy Admiral Michael Mullen, picked as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned US lawmakers unhappy with the conflict against seeking a rapid pullout from Iraq, saying it could turn the country into a "cauldron."

While prudence dictated planning for an eventual pullout, Mullen said that under one scenario it could take three to four years just to halve the 160,000 US troops now in Iraq. Many Democrats want to pull out combat troops by April.

"I do think we will be there for years, not months," Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing. "But I don't see it (Iraq) as a permanent -- you know, on a permanent base at this point."

Mullen, 60, now chief of naval operations, was nominated last month after the Bush administration decided against seeking a second two-year term in the job for Marine Gen. Peter Pace.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates concluded Pace's role in the unpopular Iraq war would have led to contentious hearings to reconfirm him. Mullen appeared headed for approval.

In testimony to the House Budget Committee, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said next year's war tab would exceed the administration's existing request for $141.7 billion. That's on top of over $600 billion in war checks already written for Iraq and Afghanistan, with 70 per cent for Iraq.

Besides needing more money to build and deliver mine-resistant vehicles to repel insurgent attacks, England said Bush's request did not include next year's costs for the extra 30,000 US troops sent into combat this year.

Bush later on Tuesday sent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter asking for an additional $5.3 billion for the armored vehicles, bringing the current total request to at least $147 billion.

House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt complained, "We're actually spending more and more each year" on the war.