Inside Story - The US Defence Budget

The U.S. administration has unveiled the biggest defence cuts in years. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said that the "extreme fiscal duress" requires him to call for the cuts.

The moves reverses the significant growth in the miltary spending that followed the 9/11 attacks.

Does this decision reflect a political shift in Washington? And what about the many global security threats America says it's facing?

Inside Story, with presenter James Bays, discusses.

Guests:

-In Washington DC: Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs under George W. Bush and also held a post at CENTCOM as Deputy director for strategy.

-In New York: Ambassador Richard Murphy, former assistant secretary of state for near east and south Asia.

-In New York: Shuja Nawaz, Director of South Asia Centre at the Atlantic Council, a bi-partisan think tank in the US.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• InsideStory
• James Bays
• Robert Gates
• Richard Murphy
• Mark Kimmitt
• Shuja Nawaz
• defence budget
• United States
• defence cuts
• America