F 22 Raptor
Credit: Wikipedia Commons | ©United States Air Force (public domain)
President Barack Obama's budget request for FY2010 will provide only a modest increase for the Defense Department of 1.4 percent. Money will be saved by cutting back the development of weapon systems, such as the F 22, not deemed necessary for the War on Terror.
Savings will also be found by a reform of the weapons procurement system, which has often led to massive cost overruns in big ticket items under development. However the cost of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hitherto accounted for in separate appropriations bills, will not be folded into the overall defense spending bill, bringing the increase to about 4 percent.
The Obama 2010 budget for the Defense Department will also include increases in troop levels for the Army and the Marine Corps as well as modest increases in pay and benefits for service men and women.
The idea of cutting funding for future weapons system is already attracting critics in the Congress. Senator John McCain, who ran against Barack Obama for President last year, while supportive of procurement reform, was skeptical about slicing spending for systems such as the F 22, a super stealth fighter designed to replace the venerable F 15, and missile defense.
"'Priorities can be improved, and a lot of things need to be improved, but I'm very leery about cutting defense spending overall,' McCain, the former Republican presidential nominee, said. The military inevitably will need substantial funding to increase its size and continue with 'high-tech development,' McCain said."
Other members of Congress, such as Barney Frank, have suggested that Obama's 2010 budget request for defense is too high. Barney Frank has advocated cutting defense by about $160 billion.
Other critics suggest that by threatening to cut high tech, large weapon systems such as the F 22, Barack Obama runs the risk of impairing the armed forces ability to wage war against other, potential enemies besides those being fought against in the War on Terror. Also, the idea of cutting missile defense would seem to be risky, considering both nuclear and missile proliferation taking place in North Korea and Iran.
Savings will also be found by a reform of the weapons procurement system, which has often led to massive cost overruns in big ticket items under development. However the cost of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hitherto accounted for in separate appropriations bills, will not be folded into the overall defense spending bill, bringing the increase to about 4 percent.
The Obama 2010 budget for the Defense Department will also include increases in troop levels for the Army and the Marine Corps as well as modest increases in pay and benefits for service men and women.
The idea of cutting funding for future weapons system is already attracting critics in the Congress. Senator John McCain, who ran against Barack Obama for President last year, while supportive of procurement reform, was skeptical about slicing spending for systems such as the F 22, a super stealth fighter designed to replace the venerable F 15, and missile defense.
"'Priorities can be improved, and a lot of things need to be improved, but I'm very leery about cutting defense spending overall,' McCain, the former Republican presidential nominee, said. The military inevitably will need substantial funding to increase its size and continue with 'high-tech development,' McCain said."
Other members of Congress, such as Barney Frank, have suggested that Obama's 2010 budget request for defense is too high. Barney Frank has advocated cutting defense by about $160 billion.
Other critics suggest that by threatening to cut high tech, large weapon systems such as the F 22, Barack Obama runs the risk of impairing the armed forces ability to wage war against other, potential enemies besides those being fought against in the War on Terror. Also, the idea of cutting missile defense would seem to be risky, considering both nuclear and missile proliferation taking place in North Korea and Iran.
Comments
Daniel K.
(Guest)
(Guest)
04/13/2009
the way things are going around the world right now, I'd imagine there would be a MUCH larger increase in the military's budget. I truly thought Obama had at least sense in warfare, but, sadly, no. All Obama's doing is tearing the US apart by not focusing on major internal affairs.
Btw, Agnes Farside: haha been ban... it's called our little part in the middle east trying help out our iraqi allies push down the shi'ite (I think it's them I always get sunnis and shi'ites confused) attacks. It started with the US hunting the leader of the people who did the attack on NYC. Then it became the US aiding Iraq in their war. We still have unsettled business with our enemies but it is definitely coming to a close. JUST SLOWLY PULL OUT DANG OBAMA WHAT THE CRAP!
Oh my God! You wrote "War on Terror". That is not allowed anymore. You can't refer to it that way anymore. That and 911 have been ban.
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