AIRLINK 62.48 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (3.39%)
BOP 5.36 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.19%)
CNERGY 4.58 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.43%)
DFML 15.50 Increased By ▲ 0.66 (4.45%)
DGKC 66.40 Increased By ▲ 1.60 (2.47%)
FCCL 17.59 Increased By ▲ 0.73 (4.33%)
FFBL 27.70 Increased By ▲ 2.95 (11.92%)
FFL 9.27 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (2.32%)
GGL 10.06 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (1%)
HBL 105.70 Increased By ▲ 1.49 (1.43%)
HUBC 122.30 Increased By ▲ 4.78 (4.07%)
HUMNL 6.60 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.92%)
KEL 4.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-1.1%)
KOSM 4.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-1.97%)
MLCF 36.20 Increased By ▲ 0.79 (2.23%)
OGDC 122.92 Increased By ▲ 0.53 (0.43%)
PAEL 23.00 Increased By ▲ 1.09 (4.97%)
PIAA 29.34 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (7.51%)
PIBTL 5.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-2.36%)
PPL 107.50 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (0.12%)
PRL 27.25 Increased By ▲ 0.74 (2.79%)
PTC 18.07 Increased By ▲ 1.97 (12.24%)
SEARL 53.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.63 (-1.17%)
SNGP 63.21 Increased By ▲ 2.01 (3.28%)
SSGC 10.80 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.47%)
TELE 9.20 Increased By ▲ 0.71 (8.36%)
TPLP 11.44 Increased By ▲ 0.86 (8.13%)
TRG 70.86 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (1.36%)
UNITY 23.62 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.47%)
WTL 1.28 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
BR100 6,944 Increased By 65.8 (0.96%)
BR30 22,827 Increased By 258.6 (1.15%)
KSE100 67,142 Increased By 594.3 (0.89%)
KSE30 22,090 Increased By 175.1 (0.8%)

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump's proposed 2018 budget calls for a significant jump in the Pentagon's vast budget, though it falls short of the historic spending bonanza sought by more hawkish Republicans.

Pentagon budget documents released Tuesday call for $574 billion in general defence funding, with an additional $65 billion for supplemental wartime spending -- for a total of $639 billion.

The proposed spending boost represents an increase of more than $50 billion -- about 10 percent -- over 2017 funding levels for the base budget, but an increase amounting to only about three percent over projections envisioned by the Obama administration.

Even though the United States already spends more on defence than the next seven nations combined, some lawmakers and Pentagon officials have long bemoaned spending caps introduced in 2011 as impacting all services.

"Since enactment of the Budget Control Act in 2011, the world has become a more dangerous place with rising terrorism and more aggressive potential adversaries," Pentagon comptroller John Roth said.

"The military has during that same period of time become smaller, readiness has eroded and modernization has been deferred. That's not a good place to be."

Trump in February promised what he said would be "one of the greatest military build-ups in American history" but hawkish Republicans have said his proposed increases are insufficient.

The additional money for defence would be offset by deep cuts to the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and a variety of social welfare programs.

"The world is a very dangerous place these days, so there is a compelling justification for this budget," said Lieutenant General Anthony Ierardi when asked why Americans should accept the extra spending.

 

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Press), 2017

Comments

Comments are closed.