White House Proposes Cap on Wartime Spending
February 13, 2012
The Obama administration is proposing a cap on war outlays through fiscal 2021, the first time spending for military combat in Afghanistan and Iraq would be limited since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The plan is part of a Pentagon budget that also reins in military health and retirement benefits, adjusts pay scales and trims equipment programs, a series of moves designed to impose financial discipline.
For the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, President Barack Obama is seeking $525.4 billion for the basic operations of the Defense Department, plus $88.4 billion to support troops in Afghanistan.