The Pentagon will cut into its programming and operating costs over the next five years to slow the growth of military spending, announced Thursday, January 6 Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Some 150 billion (115 billion euros) will be saved over the years from 2012 to 2016 through restructuring or abandonment of weapons programs and lower operating costs.Aware of the growing political pressure to curb the budget deficit, Robert Gates, a Republican from the Obama team, warned last summer that he intended to save money and reallocate the whole amount saved in other programs. The objective was to maintain a real growth in defense spending from 3% is considered necessary to ensure the state forces and continue the modernization of the army.
He eventually had to compromise with the White House: some of the money saved - 78 billion euros - will be used to reduce the mammoth budget deficit. Contrary to what happens in most European countries, who cut in military spending to cope with the crisis, the U.S. defense budget - which has more than doubled since 2001 and represents over 40% of military expenditures world - continue to rise.
But its growth (3% in 2012) will be lower the next two years and will be zero in real terms in 2015 and 2016. The Pentagon's 2011 budget, a slight increase, was passed by Congress in December and amounted to 548.2 billion dollars, not counting the 158.7 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Once the responsibility for security in Afghanistan and transferred to Afghan combat operations ended in 2014, the Army and Marines will also be made to the scheme in 2015: the army will lose its 27 000 569 000 men and the Marine Corps between 15 000 and 20 000 men on its 202 000. The United States decided, however, Thursday, January 6, 1400 to send more Marines to Afghanistan "to build on progress achieved and consolidated, and put the enemy under pressure during the winter season."
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