“For seven years we’ve been a nation of war. No longer will we hide its price!” -U.S. President Barack Obama
“Reform our defense budget so that we’re not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don’t use.” -U.S. President Barack Obama

17-thousand more U.S. troops will be heading to Afghanistan on the heels of U.S. President Barack Obama’s first budget proposal to Congress.

As the president considers the future of the U.S. military, he’s asking for 200 billion dollars to fund U.S. war efforts for the next year and a half.
 
Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis, and you’re watching Newsy.com.

As the Obama administration looks to curb the nation’s nearly $2 trillion deficit, it’s looking at ways to cut military spending.

Here’s CNN’s Barbara Starr with predictions on where cuts will happen:

“New submarines, new warships, new armored vehicles, even the plan to build a new Presidential helicopter, a new Marine 1 could be trimmed down in this budget.” (CNN)

So just how much money is going into President Obama’s defense budget? The Navy Times gives us a breakdown of the numbers:

$537 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget during Fiscal Year 2010.
Plus an additional $75.5 billion to cover the rest of 2009.

Altogether the 2010 budget would increase the Pentagon’s topline spending by 3 percent from the previous year.

Let’s put those numbers into global perspective. Online magazine Global Issues brings us this chart, indicating the U.S. makes up 48 percent of the entire world’s military spending. That number is based on data from Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

One big military expenditure that’s raising eyebrows in the U.S. is the F22 Raptor.

Defense Industry Daily brings us this photo of the fighter jet, which costs $143 million.

CNN is doubtful of the necessity of the jets in the defense budget:

“Here’s the catch: Al Qaeda doesn’t have jets, and we’re not fighting China or Russia right now so the raptor is a fighter jet without a fight.” (CNN)

Not everyone thinks the military is the right place to look for budget cuts. FOX News brings us Senator John McCain’s reaction:

“I guarantee you: the costs of maintaining America’s security throughout the world cannot be reduced. Priorities can be improved and a lot of things need to be improved, but I’m very leery about cutting defense spending overall.” -Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

Others argue military and war spending will pull the U.S. out of its recession.

Here’s MSNBC’s Chris Matthews with some historical perspective:

“Doesn’t everyone know that the reason we got out of the Great Depression was the huge spending that went on when we began to support Britain in the war against the Nazis that huge amount of government spending that went on the late 30s and early 40s?” (MSNBC)

Do you think U.S. military spending should be reduced? How realistic is President Obama’s proposed budget?