| President Bush's budget for next year,
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| | foreseeable future."
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| sent to the Congress for debate on
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| | Indeed, U.S. officials have been urging
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| Monday, includes more than half a
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| | allies in Europe and elsewhere to
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| trillion dollars in basic defense
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| | increase their defense spending as a
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| spending, and another $70 billion to fund
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| | percentage of their total economic
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| the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
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| | output.
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| related operations, for about half of the
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| | In addition to $515 billion for the basic
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| year. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the
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| | defense budget, the president's request
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| Pentagon.
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| | includes $70 billion for the global war
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| Under the president's plan, the Defense
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| | on terrorism, including the wars in Iraq
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| Department's budget increases about 5.5
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| | and Afghanistan. That is about half the
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| percent, adjusted for inflation, compared
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| | money officials believe will be needed
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| to the current year. Defense Secretary
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| | for the wars, but it will be up to the
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| Robert Gates offered a brief
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| | new administration that takes office next
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| justification for the budget on Monday.
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| | January to make its own war plans and ask
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| "The budget request provides the
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| | the congress for the needed funds.
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| resources needed to prevail in current
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| | The Pentagon budget does not include
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| conflicts, while preparing the department
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| | about $21 billion the United States
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| for a range of challenges that our nation
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| | spends on its nuclear arsenal, which is
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| may face in the years ahead," said Robert
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| | in the Energy Department's budget.
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| Gates.
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| | The defense budget does include $750
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| Secretary Gates also pointed out that the
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| | million for training and equipping
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| congress has not yet approved all the
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| | friendly foreign militaries and providing
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| money for military operations this year,
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| | humanitarian assistance that the U.S.
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| with $102 billion still pending. And he
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| | military delivers worldwide in times of
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| says although the raw numbers are high,
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| | crisis. A nearly $400-million budget is
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| U.S. spending on defense was much higher,
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| | proposed for what will be the first year
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| as a percentage of the total U.S.
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| | of full operations by the newly
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| economy, during previous wars.
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| | established Africa Command. The command
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| There will be a lot of debate about the
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| | will coordinate training programs and any
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| budget in the Congress, controlled by
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| | other U.S. military operations in Africa,
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| President Bush's political opponents in
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| | consolidating responsibilities now spread
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| the Democratic Party. The top U.S.
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| | over three U.S. military commands.
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| military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen,
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| | There are also $10.5 - billion in the
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| welcomes the debate.
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| | budget for the U.S. missile defense
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| "I think it needs to be informed by the
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| | program, about a six-percent increase.
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| environment and security risks that are
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| | The United States is building a missile
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| out there, and what it's going to take to
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| | defense capability in the Pacific, and
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| meet those security risks, which includes
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| | wants to expand to Europe with facilities
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| the full spectrum, from the kind of
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| | in Poland and the Czech Republic, but
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| irregular warfare and terrorist threats
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| | negotiations with those countries have
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| that we have right now to the other end
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| | not been completed.
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| of the spectrum in terms of the
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| | This defense budget for fiscal year 2009,
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| conventional threats that are potentially
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| | which begins October first, also includes
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| emerging in the longer run," said Admiral
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| | money to continue increasing the size of
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| Mullen.
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| | the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps by a
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| Admiral Mullen believes the United States
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| | total of about 65,000 troops during the
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| should spend at least four percent of its
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| | next few years, which had already been
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| economic output on defense. Monday's
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| | announced, and to continue programs to
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| proposal calls for a spending level of
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| | upgrade weapons systems and develop new,
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| about 3.4 percent of total output, or
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| | high technology weapons and protective
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| Gross Domestic Product.
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| | equipment. The budget also makes a
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| "I really do believe this four per cent
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| | commitment to continue increasing
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| floor is important," he said. "And it's
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| | military salaries and improving benefits,
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| really important given the world we're
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| | including especially health care for
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| living in, given the threats that we see
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| | wounded veterans, which has been
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| out there, the risks that are, in fact,
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| | criticized during the last year. Nearly
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| global, not just in the Middle East. And
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| | $11 billion is allocated to recruit,
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| we as a nation need to be very careful
| |
| | train and retain troops with specialized
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| about how we're going to invest in
| |
| | skills, something that has been difficult
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| defense in order to handle these kinds of
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| | because of the pace of combat operations
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| challenges, which will persist for the
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| | in recent years.
|
