Military Spending | featured news

The Pentagon will have to cut the size of U.S. military forces for the second time in as many years if across-the-board spending reductions of $470 billion over 10 years take effect March 1, the top U.S. military officer said on Saturday

China’s military spending has been rapidly spiraling upward, and the growing amounts are unnerving Beijing’s Asian neighbors and policy planners in the Pentagon, who are openly wary about the country’s long-term intentions.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates delivered a sharp parting shot at European allies on Friday, saying NATO risks "collective military irrelevance" unless they bear more of the burden and boost military spending.

After nearly two decades of double-digit hikes in military spending, Beijing's announcement of a relatively modest 7.5% rise is seen as an apparent bid to assuage wary East Asia neighbors.

China announced Thursday the smallest increase in its defense budget in years, in an apparent attempt to assuage international fears that its military is growing too powerful.