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Written by SHARLA TORRE MONTVEL-COHEN
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Monday, December 05, 2011
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Defense sources told The Hill that Senior Pentagon officials are likely to disclose the results of a far-reaching strategy review and the leaner 2013 spending plan to key lawmakers before February. The spending blueprint is expected to reflect the as-yet-undisclosed findings of the Pentagon's national security assessment and a five-year spending plan to achieve the first $260 billion in savings.
Of interest to Guam military buildup watchers is whether the cut for fiscal year 2013 -- expected to be around $25 billion -- will take resources away from that Asia-Pacific realignment. Military expansion projects to establish a new base for the Marine Corps on Guam as part of the nation's promise to secure the region have been stalled while Congress has spent the months since August fighting over a deficit reduction plan.
This January, if Congress fails to pass a balanced plan, cuts at the Pentagon could balloon to almost $1 trillion over the decade. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has warned such sequestration would do "catastrophic damage to our military and its ability to protect the country."
The sequester cuts would be taken across-the-board, sparing no defense program. But, as Mr. Panetta testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in September, it is $450 billion -- and not $1 trillion -- that Pentagon is planning for.
To keep Pacific allies calm about defense cuts, the Obama Administration has worked hard since the summer to reassure Japan and other nation friends in Asia that beefing up America's presence in the region remains a priority.
On his first trip to Asia as Secretary of Defense in October, Mr. Panetta repeatedly told Pacific allies that the United States intends to grow its resources here by continuing to build regional cooperation and fulfilling a long delayed a troop realignment agreement with Japan.
Meeting with Japan's Defense Minister during that tour, Mr. Panetta specifically cited the Guam buildup, saying "[The U.S. and Japan] are both very committed to the principles of the realignment roadmap, including the establishment of an operational Marine presence on Guam."
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- 13/12/2011 14:38 - House-Senate Conference Submits Final Defense Policy Bill, Freezes Guam Military Buildup Projects in 2012 Budget Year; Full Vote Expected this Week
- 11/12/2011 17:40 - President Obama Weighs in on 2012 Defense Policy Bill; Authorization for Guam Military Buildup Nears Decision Point
- 11/12/2011 17:32 - Japan Censure to Remove Defense Minister Deals Political Blow to Noda, Complicates Progress on Futenma Replacement Base and Marines’ Realignment to Guam
- 08/12/2011 12:14 - Two House-Senate Conference Committees Will Decide Fate of 2012 Funding for Guam Military Buildup as Early as Next Week
- 07/12/2011 09:32 - Pressure to Pass Annual Spending Package Could Bring Short-Term Clarity for Guam Military Buildup
- 02/12/2011 15:37 - UPDATE: Senate Vote Sets Up Showdown with House of Representatives Over Guam Military Buildup; President Obama supports House Version
- 01/12/2011 09:12 - Japanese Defense Minister Disciplines Official, Apologizes to Okinawans, Tries to Regain Momentum for Futenma Replacement Air Base
- 30/11/2011 15:32 - Latest Drawback in Tokyo’s Quest to Build Understanding with Okinawans on Marine Basing Issue
- 29/11/2011 09:38 - Senate Democrats Aim to Solve 2012 Appropriations, Including Military Construction for Guam, Through Omnibus Spending Bill in December
- 28/11/2011 10:37 - Pentagon Caught in Chess Game: While Obama Moves to Force a Deficit Deal, Republican Defense Hawks Rally to Undo Trigger Cuts; More Waiting for Guam Military Buildup
