Congressional conferees today quashed a plan to fold an additional $50 billion into the $459.6 billion fiscal year 2008 defense appropriations bill to finance wartime operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, opting to allocate those dollars in separate legislation expected to be considered later this week. The legislation, which could be introduced in the House as early as Thursday, would create a "bridge fund" for U.S.-led combat operations in Southwest Asia, House Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-PA) said during...