InfoAnda - Pentagon announces plans to rein in spending

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

New Met season to feature Wagner's 'Ring,' higher prices | 24 February 2010
Crystal Bowersox Gets Record Deal With 19 Recordings | 22 June 2010
China, Japan, SKorea urge NKorea to rejoin talks | 29 September 2009

Observers approve south Sudan independence vote | | 17 January 2011

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Pentagon announces plans to rein in spending

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Pentagon announces plans to rein in spending By ANNE FLAHERTY and ANNE GEARAN,Associated Press - Friday, January 7 Send IM Story Print WASHINGTON – For the first time in more than a decade defined by costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Pentagon announced plans Thursday to freeze its ballooning budget, forcing the services to shrink the Army and Marines and increase health care premiums for military retirees and their families. The Pentagon says it can stop asking for annual budget increases in 2015, adjusting its spending only for inflation. The last time the Pentagon's budget went down was in 1998. The plan is aimed at helping the nation whittle away at its massive deficit. But the proposal, which requires $78 billion in spending cuts and relies on another $100 billion in cost-saving moves to cover urgent requirements, is tied to two assumptions: that the war in Afghanistan will end on time and that Congress will agree to plans to cancel popular job-making programs and charge retired military families more for health care. Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that projections about what the world will look like so far in the future have a troubled track record. But the Defense Department is "not exempt" from belt-tightening just because of its charge to defend the nation, he said. "Looking five years into the future is through a pretty cloudy crystal ball," Gates said. "Any number of these decisions could be reversed." Although it took Gates more than 30 minutes to read an explanation of the reductions, he called the proposals modest and realistic. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he thinks the Afghanistan war will shrink as planned in 2014, when the United States and its allies want to hand over control of the country's security to the Afghan government. "There's certainly some risk there, but we think it's acceptable risk right now," Mullen said. Almost immediately the proposal ran into opposition in Congress, including Republicans who say President Barack Obama is short-changing the military. "I'm not happy," said Rep. Buck McKeon, who as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee helps oversee the military budget. "This is a dramatic shift for a nation at war and a dangerous signal from the commander-in-chief," McKeon, R-Calif., added. In the meantime, many newly elected Tea Party activists and anti-war Democrats have said the Defense Department isn't doing enough to scale back its mammoth half-trillion dollar annual budgets. The Defense Department represents the largest portion of the federal government's discretionary budget. "We have nearly doubled our military budget in the past 10 years," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told his local newspaper, The Courier-Journal, this week. "To avoid bankruptcy, we will have to evaluate all spending _ from food stamps to foreign aid to foreign wars," Paul said. Gates said his proposal falls between the extremes of those who want to slash the Pentagon budget and those who want to expand it. "My view is we've got it about right," he said. The plan calls for $553 billion to be spent in 2012 on annual defense programs such as weapons modernization and troop pay. The amount, which does not include war spending, is $13 billion less than the Pentagon wanted, but still represents 3 percent growth after inflation. But the rate of increase of spending would gradually slow before halting in 2015 and 2016. The only increase in those budgets would reflect the inflation rate. Gates estimates doing this would cost the military about $78 billion. To help offset the cost, Gates said the Pentagon would reduce the number of soldiers in the Army by 27,000 and trim the Marines by 20,000, saving as much as $6 billion. Gates also has pledged to trim the department's bureaucracy by disbanding an entire military headquarters in Norfolk, Va., called U.S. Joint Forces Command, and cutting back on the number of general officers that staff the Pentagon. The White House said late Thursday that Obama had accepted the recommendation to close the command, at a date to be determined by Gates. The sprawling facility has a civilian and military work force approaching 6,000 and a $1 billion budget. The plan assumes the U.S. will be able to substantially reduce its troop levels in Afghanistan in the next few years. While Obama has called for troop reductions to begin this July, the Afghan government has said it probably won't be able to take control of its government until the end of 2014. The cuts could meet resistance in Congress, where lawmakers repeatedly have called for increasing the number of ground troops to ensure they aren't subject to lengthy deployments. The plan also assumes that Congress will agree to some $7 billion in health care reforms for military families. Gates has long argued that benefits provided under the military system, known as TRICARE, are too generous. For example, he said, the basic family plan costs only $460 a year _ a fee that hasn't been increased since 1995 and would cost $5,000 a year for civilian federal workers. Gates said he wants military retirees under the age of 65 to pay "modest" increases to fees. Similar Pentagon spending reform plans have been defeated in the past, with lawmakers fiercely protective of any program that benefits troops. Other savings to cover the $78 billion would be found by freezing civilian pay, cutting the size of the general officer corps and other bureaucratic steps. Separately, about $100 billion in savings has been found in the services' five-year budgets. However, Gates said, the services will mostly be allowed to reinvest that money into programs they want, including weapon modernization. For example, the Navy and Marine Corps found ways to save about $34 billion, including by canceling a $14 billion program to develop the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. Gates said that money will be used to buy additional ships, F-18 jets and new electronic jammers. That proposal also drew rebukes from lawmakers who feared a loss of jobs in their states. "I'm willing to work with Secretary Gates and the president to cut wasteful defense spending, but cutting the budget on the backs of Ohio's workers is unacceptable," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. ___ Associated Press writers Pauline Jelinek and Richard Lardner contributed to this report. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Envoys pile into south Sudan as referendum looms AFP - 2 hours 14 minutes ago Taliban attack kills 17 at Afghan public bath AFP - 39 minutes ago EU rejects Iran's offer of atomic site tour - Ashton Reuters - 51 minutes ago UK-World Summary Reuters - 54 minutes ago Kazakh leader rejects plan to skip election Reuters - 54 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Renault suspects Chinese role in spy case Sombre Christmas for Egypt Copts after blast US unemployment tumbles to 9.4% Obama names Sperling to top economic job Ivory Coast's Gbagbo expels UK, Canada envoys More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Falling blackbirds baffle Arkansas officials Hasta la Vista: Arnie quits as California governor Goldman deal 'values Facebook at $50 billion' Spain lotto winner nearly loses millions by tossing tickets Brazil's 2010 trade surplus lowest in 8 years: official More Most Viewed » More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Friday, 7 January 2011
France fears 'economic war' after Renault spy scandal
US-TECH Summary
VW, Daimler to sign $5bn Chinese contracts: source
GameStop's holiday sales disappoint, shares drop
De Niro to lead Cannes film festival jury
Nvidia's new mobile chips in Acer, Dell devices
Sony stays loyal to 3D at CES gadget fest
US Treasury asks Congress to lift debt ceiling
I.Coast's Gbagbo has 'blood on his hands' says rival
Always connected lifestyle on display at CES
Israel airport wifi blocks political sites
Sudan still not agreed to bigger UN force: official |
Probe may push Facebook to early stock offering
U.S. bars financial dealings with Ivory Coast president
Analysis: Microsoft embrace boost for ARM, worry for Intel
U.S. to send 1,400 Marines to Afghanistan
Apple launches app store for Macs, a la iPhone
Sony stays loyal to 3D at CES gadget fest
Iran sent US spy back to Armenia: report
Former boss feared Pakistan suspect's extremism
Microsoft sold over 8 million Kinects in 60 days: CEO
U.S. healthcare law repeal hurts deficits
Pakistan bows to opposition demands on fuel price
US protests over Vietnam treatment of diplomat
Microsoft sold 8 mln Kinects in first two months
"Twilight" and Katy Perry among People's Choice winners
Geithner says U.S. could hit debt limit by March 31
China expels drug safety official from party: report
Skype acquires Qik mobile video company |
Thai MP in Cambodia court over border incident
Analysis: Facebook ignites Bubble 2.0 chatter |
Pakistan PM reverses petrol hike under pressure
India food inflation accelerates to year-high
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Nvidia's new mobile chips in Acer, Dell devices |
Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend likely to escape jail
Swiss festival invites jailed Iranian film maker Panahi
Berlin museum extends popular Hitler exhibition
Japanese politician, 50 gives birth to first child
De Niro to lead Cannes film festival jury
Batman's French Muslim ally angers US bloggers
China to buy 6.0 bn euros of Spanish debt: report
China to build $1.5 bn trading centre in Thailand
Taiwan's HTC posts 70 percent rise in 2010 profit
Coffee capsule inventor aims for Asia with tea
Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend likely to escape jail |
Paula Abdul dances back into hearts of viewers |
Egypt Copts mark Christmas under tight security
Britain raises terror threat level at airports: report
Two Koreas and U.S. militaries lower alert: report |
Toshiba year-end TV sales strong but 3D weak
US sends 1,400 more Marines to Afghanistan
Cautious optimism ahead of US jobless numbers
Australia floods cause months, possibly years, of damage |
France fears 'economic war' after Renault spy scandal
Afghans protest Iran fuel truck ban
Gates hopes to bolster U.S.-China military dialogue |
Jackson dead before paramedics arrived, court told
Samsung seeks 15 percent TV sales jump in smart TV push
Egypt's Mubarak warns Israel against new Gaza war
Israel: No Iran bomb before 2015 |
Japan wants 'concrete' N. Korea steps before talks
Verizon CEO ponders shift to use-based mobile plan
China confirms President Hu to visit U.S. from January 18 |
Iraqis look to U.S. foe Sadr to help stabilise state
Chilean scientists seek alcoholism vaccine
UN's Ban names panel for Haiti cholera probe |
LG eyes 2-3 times rise in smartphones, focus on high-end
Iran denies detaining American woman
Egypt Copts mark Christmas under tight security
Clinton condemns Belarus crackdown, meets activists |
RIM seeks 2 years to address email security: report
Mubarak says Israel must revise position on talks
Sony aims for No. 2 spot in tablet devices
Corrected: Record high food prices stoke fears for economy |
Pakistan-Afghanistan to hold peace jirga
Samsung profit set to recover on gadgets after dip
Pope prays for Christians after Copt attack
Cambodia says KRouge trial should preserve peace
Israelis bribed to admit U.S. goods to Gaza
FCC head urges swift action on spectrum crunch
Chinese fireworks artist tries to shift blame over disappointing show
Data security center in Utah targets cyberspace
Cargo ship fire kills four Chinese off S. Korea
US-TECH Summary
Thai opposition eyes Thaksin's sister for PM
Australia coal industry may see long disruption due to floods
Samsung seeks 15 percent TV sales jump in smart TV push
England captain toasts 'special' Ashes series triumph
LG eyes 2-3 times rise in smartphones, focus on high-end
China smoking deaths could triple by 2030: report
Sony aims for No. 2 spot in tablet devices
Fake Indonesian inmate exposes prison corruption
Samsung seeks 15 percent TV sales jump in smart TV push |
Samsung profit set to recover on gadgets after dip
Two Koreas and U.S. militaries lower alert
Toshiba year-end TV sales strong but 3D weak |
Why French are world champs in pessimism
COMMENTARY: Exposing hypocrisy of nations
India's magicians: striving hard not to disappear
Verizon CEO ponders shift to use-based mobile plan |
FCC head urges swift action on spectrum crunch |
Oprah delighted with OWN network launch
Eminem, Drake lead rap sales surge in 2010
RIM seeks 2 years to address email security: report |
US judge zaps Harry Potter plagiarism suit
LG eyes 2-3 times rise in smartphones, focus on high-end |
Michael Jackson doctor kept mum about propofol at hospital
Facebook documents reveal strong profits: source |
Case dismissed against Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend
Sony aims for No. 2 spot in tablet devices |
Sundance invites 26 to world premiere of film
Samsung profit set to recover on gadgets after dip |
Mass bird and fish deaths stoke curiosity
Indian animators to partner with US TV firm
China SAIC shares jump on strong 2010 sales
China rare earth curbs could raise prices: report
Seoul shares end up 0.4 pct on autos, Samsung Elec down
Korea Hot Stocks-Hyundai Motor up, savings banks rally
Pakistan
Samsung Q4 profits seen lower at $2.67 bn
Seoul shares end up 0.4 pct on autos, Samsung Elec down
S.Korea won down on firm dlr, foreigners stock sales
Michael Jackson doctor kept mum about propofol at hospital |
Seoul shares open down, Samsung Elec falls
Case dismissed against Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend |
Sundance invites 26 to world premiere of film |
Oprah delighted with OWN network launch |
Piers Morgan vows a butt-kicking talk show on CNN |
ARM says Microsoft needs it for mobile
Homeless man finds success with golden voice |
Eminem, Drake lead rap sales surge in 2010 |
Skype buys smartphone video star Qik
Mike Tyson, pigeon fancier, gets his own TV show |
EU rejects Iran's offer of atomic site tour
Germany closes 4,700 farms in dioxin scare
Taliban attack kills 17 at Afghan public bath
German imports hit all time high in November
Obama names Sperling to top economic job
Israel says sees no Iranian atom bomb before 2015
Ivory Coast's Gbagbo expels UK, Canada envoys
Dell unveils Android tablet, smartphone
EU rejects Iran's offer of atomic site tour: Ashton |
Israeli troops kill wrong man in Hamas raid
Model security shows mainstream move of Iraq's Sadr |
Citing deficit, Gates moves to cut US defense budget
'Suicide attack kills 17 at Afghan public bath'
Israeli troops kill wrong man in Hamas raid |
Germany closes 4,700 farms in dioxin scare
Suicide attack kills 17 in southern Afghanistan
US-TECH Summary
Pakistani party to rejoin coalition; reforms deferred |
U.N. refugee agency warns on Greek anti-migrant fence |
Suicide bomber kills 17 in Afghanistan
Samsung profit set to rebound; fights for connected TV
Sony aims for No. 2 spot in tablet devices
Afghanistan suicide blast kills 17 in bathhouse |
LG eyes 4-fold jump in 2011 smartphone sales
Korean, US forces 'lower alert status'
Ghana neutral on Ivory Coast, opposes force: president |
US 'cannot accept' China military power: state media
2 fiery packages put Md. mailrooms on alert
Parents demand answers in China lead poisoning
Vietnam War 'secret army' chief dies in US hospital
Vang Pao, Hmong guerrilla leader, dies in Calif.
Note in fiery Md. package complained of road signs
Pakistani party to rejoin coalition
Meet the new boss: Daley is Obama chief of staff
Malaysia royal commission to probe political death
Police: Gunman suspended before school shooting
Philippine boy survives three days at sea
Jackson dead before paramedics arrived, court told
Disturbing video shows attacks on disabled victims
Laos general Vang Pao dies in California: hospital
ARM says Microsoft needs it for mobile |
Celeb tweets make impact on top stories in 2010
Hyundai Motor preferred bidder for S. Korea builder
Pentagon announces plans to rein in spending
Cubans fret as massive job cuts get under way
Taiwan's exports at 32-year high
Kenya cracks down on out-of-hours drinkers
Pakistan to defer IMF-demanded sales tax-PM Gilani
India, Pakistan in onion trade wrangle
Local.com cuts fourth-quarter outlook |
China eyes deeper German economic ties: report
Indonesia reassures on surging food prices
Taiwan promises swift review of AIG unit sale
Taiwan's new nuclear plant delayed
US banks win approval for China joint ventures
US automaker Ford says China sales hit record in 2010
Harry Potter plagiarism case dismissed in U.S. |
Celeb tweets make impact on top stories in 2010 |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01