WASHINGTON, May 6: The opposition leader in the US Congress accused President Bush on Thursday of hiding the true cost of war in Iraq from the American people. She urged Mr Bush to also tell the nation "the hard truth about how much longer our troops will remain in Iraq.

Nancy Pelosi, the house Democratic leader, said that an increase in fighting in Iraq had pushed the war cost far beyond the administration's declared estimates. Commenting on Bush's request for additional $25 billion for Iraq war, sent to Congress on Wednesday, Ms Pelosi said far more than that would be needed to finance the war.

"By requesting just $25 billion in additional money for our troops in Iraq- when we know that at least twice that amount will be needed- the Bush administration is once again keeping the true cost of the war from the American people," she said.