Washington: US President Barack Obama has announced a new defense strategy on Thursday reflecting billions of dollars in budget cuts and ending a decades-old strategy of being prepared to fight two wars at once.
US President announced this while during press briefing at Pentagon with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey. The US president announced that the military will be reshaped over time with an emphasis on countering terrorism, maintaining a nuclear deterrent, protecting the US homeland, and “deterring and defeating aggression by any potential adversary.”
Officials say the new strategy will expand the US military’s role in Asia in the face of China’s rise and also focus on maintaining a presence in the Middle East, where Iran remains a concern.
The plan is also expected to mark a move away from a two-war readiness strategy. The US would instead be ready to fight one war, while being able to block aggressive actions elsewhere.
The new strategy is the result of months of study at the Pentagon. It reflects a high-stakes, high-wire balancing act by Obama as he faces a more austere budget climate combined with continued high US responsibilities at home and overseas.
The Defense Department faces cuts of at least $450 billion about 8 percent of its budget over the next decade. However, additional cuts, totaling more than $500 billion, may be possible as Congress and President Obama seek ways to reduce the US budget deficit.
The Pentagon budget for this year is about $530 billion.
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