After a decade of being involved in two simultaneous wars, the U.S. announced its new defense strategy, which envisages a reduction in the number of troops, the overall objectives reorients the Asia-Pacific and, especially, brings down the bulkymilitary budget.
"Our armed forces will be reduced, but the world must know that the U.S. maintain military superiority," said President Barack Obama yesterday in an appearance at the Pentagon.In his rare appearance in the Department of Defense, Obama emphasized that, since the terrorist attacks on America in September 2001, "the military budget has grown rapidly and is now greater than at the end of President George W. Bush" .Anticipating critics, made it clear that the country's military assignments remain greater than the sum of the ten nations that follow the amount of spending on defense.When you are about, Obama said, to "turn the page on a decade of war" in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon spending must be reduced by about 487,000 million dollars in ten years, and that undoubtedly lead to forces armed "lighter" and "less conventional ground forces."In the case of the Army, the figure has come out in the media indicates that the troops would go from 570,000 to 490,000 within 10 years.As the emphasis of the new U.S. strategy now goes to the Asian region, and very in tune with the above, this allows to assume that U.S. military power will increasingly focus on naval and air components."We will strengthen our presence in the Asia-Pacific, and budget cuts will not occur at the expense of this critical region," Obama said, adding that the country will pay close attention to Middle East, denomination ranging from North Africa to Afghanistan .In the document entitled "Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities of Defense for the XXI Century", is mentioned directly the growth of China's military power as a cause for concern and suggests that it "must be accompanied by a great clarity of strategic intent to avoid causing frictions in the region. "The Chinese government has been building apace in recent years, submarines, destroyers, fighter jets and ballistic missiles, in a disturbing behavior to its neighbors, which in addition to territorial disputes with the Asian giant, are also closely allied with Washington, as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines.Military capabilitiesIn the same press conference where Obama spoke, the Pentagon chief, Leon Panetta said that the U.S. maintain its ability to "fight and defeat an enemy more than once." "The military presence in Europe will adapt and evolve" according to the new strategy.In Latin America and Africa, Washington "seek innovative ways" to maintain its presence and military programs.The U.S. defense budget -Which includes not only military spending but also espionage, weapons research and nuclear programs under the Department of Energy, grew from about $ 300 billion in 2000 to more than $ 700 billion in fiscal 2012 .Within this expenditure, nearly 20% has gone to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, undertaken while the Bush tax cuts, so the funding has been made at the expense of swelling the national debt.For over five decades, the fundamental principle of U.S. military strategy, and occupied also by Bush, has been the ability of its armed forces to address two major wars simultaneously.The new strategy behind this approach and would prefer a lower ability to deliver simultaneous conflicts. According to Obama, the Pentagon will reduce or eliminate some weapons programs and military structures, strengthening its operations and equipment for special forces, defense and space, particularly in cyberspace.The document also mentions the possibility of having smaller nuclear forces."The size and structure of our military and our military budget must respond to a strategy, not vice versa," stressed the President."We will continue doing away with antiquated systems of the Cold War, to invest in intelligence, counterterrorism, elimination of weapons of mass destruction, and the ability to operate where the opponents try to deny us access."
Hundreds of Albanians protested violently Friday against the visit of Serbian President Boris Tadic, two monasteries in Kosovo.
Followers of the third largest party in the Parliament of Kosovo, "Vetevendosje" (Self Determination) for hours blocked access to the monasteries of Decani and Pec in the west.
Witnesses told that angry people threw stones at a convoy. With a delay of hours, the police and military might eventually allow the president's trip from Belgrade toDecani, where Tadic wants to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas.
Kosovo police units, led by Albanians, and associations of the EU mission inKosovo (EULEX) and the international KFOR troops had taken position in the twomonasteries to avoid confrontations.
Officials said the protesters were kept away with pepper spray. Kosovo's government, dominated by Albanians, had allowed Tadic's journey under thecondition that they not make political statements and attend only as a believer. In past years, Tadic did not observe similar conditions.
Kosovo, inhabited almost only by Albanians seceded from Serbia four years ago.While Europe's youngest nation is recognized by nearly 80 percent of countries, Belgrade wants to regain Kosovo.
In the Middle Ages, Kosovo was part of the Serbian kingdom. Kosovo today live injust ten percent of Serbs. Some of the monasteries of Decani and Pec almost noSerbs live. While Serbs in Decani monks 25 praised the visit of Tadic, who considered a sign of support, Albanians saw it as a provocation.
The French magazine "Marianne" reported Friday that Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation, dedicated to the fight against illiteracy, would have received $ 4.45 million unlawfully Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
According to the weekly, for tomorrow will publish the entire investigation of journalist Frédéric Martel, the fund-of which the French president's wife is an ambassador-transferred the money "outside the law, no-bid, at the request of the First Lady France and several companies of one of his friends. "This is the musician and businessman Julien Civange adds the publication, counselor and wedding witness Carla Bruni with French Head of State, Nicolas Sarkozy.The scandal referred to "Marianne" and still does not offer many details because it would have cost the French Ambassador on AIDS, Patrice Debré, once came to light in the board that the institution is held in Accra ( Ghana) in late November.French diplomacy, however, attributes the Debré output to "a change of positioning of the fund", the newspaper "Libération".In addition, at the request of Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, the CEO of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Michel Kazatchkine French, will step down after the presidential elections to be held in France next spring."Nicolas Sarkozy would have acted in this respect and the highest level in Washington," said "Marianne".The station "France Info" noted that "since the issue exploded in late 2011, the Elysee Palace was cut all financial ties between the founding of the first lady and the bottom."Civange, meanwhile, declined to comment, but sent word to the station that "there is no criminal act that seek" regarding him or the general manager of the fund.The friend of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who was in charge of the campaign fund "Born HIV Free" (born without HIV), provides "a certain character likelihood" to the investigation of "Marianne", but believes that "the facts have swollen. "For its part, the fund held in a statement that the article is "inaccurate and tricky" and stressed that the campaign in which he participated Civange "was reflected in the regular budget of the fund" and represents a total of 2.8 million dollars, or less than the amount referred to the magazine."The campaign received significant support from several media partners in the form of advertising and creative services offered free of charge, but whose value rises to $ 20.4 million," he said.
