The Pentagon on Tuesday unveiled its plan to boost spending in defencse mechanism in 2017, aiming to increase its military capability to back its European NATO allies. Ash Carter, Defence Secretary, said that Pentagon plans to throw more capital to add US troops in Syria and Iraq.
The US Defence Department requested a budget seeking 7.5 billion US dollar for operations in Syria and Iraq for the year 2017, which is an increase of about 50% from the 5.3 billion US dollar requested in 2016, MilitaryTimes said. According to Carter, the nation owns 3,700 boots on the Iraq ground currently and it is seeking to add more troops.
The reports said that Pentagon will officially release its budget request next Tuesday. For the first time, the Defense Secretary provided some important details regarding the defense budget for the year that commences in October. Carter said that the new budget plans to allot $1.8 billion to purchase 45,000 new rockets and bombs.
Carter added that President Obama has always been backing up his idea of widening the US military troops in Syria and Iraq and that he expect the same to continue in the future. Carter believes that other nations will also supply troops to support the mission.
USA TODAY quoted Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the high ranking US commander in Iraq, as saying that the air campaign that started in 2014 rescued Iraq and Baghdad from the hands of ISIL. Sean pointed out to a recent attack in Mosul which destroyed millions of dollars that the ISIL kept paying its operatives.
MacFarland added that the Air Force selects bombs based on computer simulations of the destruction they create in urban territory. Unselective attacks with low precise weapons like carpet bombing will be counterproductive, according to Air Force Col. Pat Ryder.
The Defense Department will seek 582.7 billion US dollar budget for the next year, telesur said quoting Ash Carter. Pentagon will utilize the huge extra capital to multiple military expenditures in Baltic location, where they will allocate 3.4 billion US dollar. For 2016, Pentagon has allotted 789 million US dollar for the Baltic area.
China and Russia have also been included in the developing security challenges and legitimizes Pentagon's investment of 71.4 billion US dollar in research and development field against unproven threats. The plan will also increase expenditure on cyber capabilities, which include Pentagon's effort to make its electronic infrastructure safer.
According to Republican lawmakers, the net increase in 2017 budget is insufficient and that President Obama has failed to further boost military funding in 2016. However, Obama's 2014 initiative was favoured by friends near Russia's border.
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