Penny pinching
January 27, 2012
On Thursday, the Pentagon announced a proposed 2013 budget that reflects the United States' new military strategy to cut spending over the next decade and reduce the number of troops.
In the proposed budget, the Pentagon is asking Congress for a base budget of $525 billion (401 billion euros), which is the first time in over a decade that the Pentagon has asked for a smaller budget than the previous year. The 2012 budget is $531 billion.
The spending cuts would affect military institutions across the country.
"Make no mistake, the savings that we are proposing will impact all 50 states and many congressional districts across America," said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at a press conference at the Pentagon on Thursday.
"This will be a test of whether reducing the deficit is about talk or action," he added.
Goal of a leaner military
The US has recently ended combat operations in Iraq and is in the process of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. The Pentagon's strategy for the future emphasizes a leaner military with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. The military said Thursday that over 90,000 ground troops would be removed from active duty by 2017.
Some ships and aircraft would be taken out of service, and plans for updating other vessels are being pushed back or scrapped entirely.
Last year, Congress and the White House agreed to $487 billion in cuts to the defense budget over the next 10 years.
Author: Matt Zuvela (Reuters, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Martin Kuebler