After speculation President Obama has finally made a public statement to the media regarding US budget cuts to the military. A review of military budgets has been completed and now the axe will fall. As countries around struggle to stay solvent America is not alone in cutting its military budgets. Whether this will prove to be a prudent policy remains to be seen.
Right now the World is a volatile place. So many countries are unstable and far from peaceful. A War is likely in more than one place although Iran springs to mind instantly.
Whilst both Democrats and Republicans in the US fully understand the need for budget cuts they will disagree on where the axe falls. Those scaremongers n communities will now fear countries such as Russia and China gaining an advantage.
President Obama ended his speech on a light note and with a smile, noting that it was the first time a US President had addressed the media from this particular room in the Pentagon.
The statement though was bad news for the US military.
The President stressed that in real terms military budgets would continue to rise. In essence he said that the US will still continue to lead as far as world conflicts go. However they will perhaps call on other countries to take a bigger role. As so many other countries, such as those in Europe, are suffering worse budget deficits and reforms, where the money will come from for all of this is unknown.
In the end many viewed Obama's speech today as a management ploy. One that said all the right sounding words but will not have the power to support it.
Since early in the 21st Century America has been involved at least two wars. These have been costly both as far as money and man power went. The fact of the matter is that the budget cuts announced today will mean that the US will not be able to participate in more than one conflict at a time.
Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta said, "I do not believe that we have to choose between our national security and fiscal responsibility"
That said it is fair to say that thousands of military jobs will be axed. The President believes that the threat of war is receding. Part of his speech said,
"So yes, our military will be leaner but the world must know - the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats.The defence budget would still grow, but at a slower pace. The US is turning the page on a decade of war. Even as our troops continue to fight in Afghanistan, the tide of war is receding. At the same time, we have to renew our economic strength here at home, which is the foundation of our strength around the world. That includes putting our fiscal house in order."
The BBC reported that the president said the new strategy would end "long-term, nation-building with large military footprints", with the Pentagon instead pursuing a national security strategy based on "smaller conventional ground forces".
The President said the US military will become "leaner" as it switches focus to the Asia-Pacific region. If he is looking toward Iran and a possible conflict it will be a naval based one or something even worse.
OPINION There is no doubt that war is wrong. At times it may be necessary but t is still wrong. Valuable resources and lives are wasted on destruction. A life of fighting. We all know there are better things to spend money on. Obama has learned from Iraq and Afghanistan that you throw all your weight behind some campaigns and the result will not be good.
Neither of these wars were Obamas though.
The UK like other western countries is currently cutting defence budgets. Whether such cuts will leave the US, UK and other countries vulnerable to attack is not known.
Of course once military jobs are cut countries will re employ when needed either by paying less or by way of conscription. For Obama announcing these cuts could be a brave move. In an election year it will alienate a large part of the US population.
According to the BBC, The Pentagon faces more than $450bn (£288bn) in cuts in the next 10 years. As with most large prganistaions cutting just a few of those overpad workers at the top would portect pther jobs. In truth these jobs usually survive the axe.
Obama delivers defence review
Right now the World is a volatile place. So many countries are unstable and far from peaceful. A War is likely in more than one place although Iran springs to mind instantly.
Whilst both Democrats and Republicans in the US fully understand the need for budget cuts they will disagree on where the axe falls. Those scaremongers n communities will now fear countries such as Russia and China gaining an advantage.
President Obama ended his speech on a light note and with a smile, noting that it was the first time a US President had addressed the media from this particular room in the Pentagon.
The statement though was bad news for the US military.
The President stressed that in real terms military budgets would continue to rise. In essence he said that the US will still continue to lead as far as world conflicts go. However they will perhaps call on other countries to take a bigger role. As so many other countries, such as those in Europe, are suffering worse budget deficits and reforms, where the money will come from for all of this is unknown.
In the end many viewed Obama's speech today as a management ploy. One that said all the right sounding words but will not have the power to support it.
Since early in the 21st Century America has been involved at least two wars. These have been costly both as far as money and man power went. The fact of the matter is that the budget cuts announced today will mean that the US will not be able to participate in more than one conflict at a time.
Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta said, "I do not believe that we have to choose between our national security and fiscal responsibility"
That said it is fair to say that thousands of military jobs will be axed. The President believes that the threat of war is receding. Part of his speech said,
"So yes, our military will be leaner but the world must know - the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats.The defence budget would still grow, but at a slower pace. The US is turning the page on a decade of war. Even as our troops continue to fight in Afghanistan, the tide of war is receding. At the same time, we have to renew our economic strength here at home, which is the foundation of our strength around the world. That includes putting our fiscal house in order."
The BBC reported that the president said the new strategy would end "long-term, nation-building with large military footprints", with the Pentagon instead pursuing a national security strategy based on "smaller conventional ground forces".
The President said the US military will become "leaner" as it switches focus to the Asia-Pacific region. If he is looking toward Iran and a possible conflict it will be a naval based one or something even worse.
OPINION There is no doubt that war is wrong. At times it may be necessary but t is still wrong. Valuable resources and lives are wasted on destruction. A life of fighting. We all know there are better things to spend money on. Obama has learned from Iraq and Afghanistan that you throw all your weight behind some campaigns and the result will not be good.
Neither of these wars were Obamas though.
The UK like other western countries is currently cutting defence budgets. Whether such cuts will leave the US, UK and other countries vulnerable to attack is not known.
Of course once military jobs are cut countries will re employ when needed either by paying less or by way of conscription. For Obama announcing these cuts could be a brave move. In an election year it will alienate a large part of the US population.
According to the BBC, The Pentagon faces more than $450bn (£288bn) in cuts in the next 10 years. As with most large prganistaions cutting just a few of those overpad workers at the top would portect pther jobs. In truth these jobs usually survive the axe.
Obama delivers defence review
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