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Bush's
Budget Calls For More Precision Weapons, Missile Defenses
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| Bush
seeks the best high-tech equipment to "strike around
the world"
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WASHINGTON,
Jan 27 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - U.S. President George W.
Bush stressed Saturday that his administration's top priority was to
enhance the security of the United States and its people.
Vowing
to seek more precision weapons, missile defenses, high-tech
equipment and pay raises for soldiers, Bush said in his weekly radio
address, "America must not rest until every terrorist group of
global reach has been found, stopped and defeated," adding that
his priorities reflected "a single overarching commitment: to
enhance the security of America and its people."
"A
few days from now I will go before Congress to report on the state
of the union, and lay out my priorities for the coming year and
beyond. These priorities reflect a single, overarching commitment:
to enhance the security of America and its people," he added.
"We'll
protect our people in every way necessary and we will carry on the
campaign against global terror until we achieve our goal: the peace
that comes from victory,” Bush said.
Bush
is to lay out his priorities when he delivers his State of the Union
address before Congress late Tuesday - though many facets of those
plans were unveiled incrementally this past week.
He
is to ask for the largest hike in defense spending in 20 years, to
ensure a victory in the war on terrorism, which began in Afghanistan
but "will not end there."
On
Wednesday, Bush said he would request $48 billion in fresh funds for
the defense budget, bringing it to more than $366 billion - a 15%
hike. He is to unveil his full budget proposal on February 4.
Bush
also hopes to double funding for homeland security efforts to $38
billion, hire tens of thousands of new airport security workers,
strengthen border patrols, hire another 300 FBI agents and pump cash
into efforts to better equip state and local firefighters, police
and emergency response teams.
He
further pledged to seek economic security and to "fight the
recession and build economic security," by "encouraging an
environment in which jobs are created," and urged the Senate to
approve the economic stimulus bill that passed in the House of
Representatives last year.
News
agencies quoted Bush as saying, "Every budget reflects
fundamental choices, and my administration has made choices to fit
the times," adding that, "We'll protect our people in
every way necessary, and we will carry on the campaign against
global terror until we achieve our goal: The peace that comes from
victory."
He
said the capability to strike around the world will be neither short
nor inexpensive and U.S. armed forces will need the best high-tech
equipment available to succeed.
"My
budget calls for ... investing in more precision weapons, missile
defenses, unmanned vehicles and high-tech equipment for our soldiers
on the ground. I will also seek another pay increase for the men and
women who wear our country's uniform," he said. "We will
spend what it takes to win the war against terrorism."
Democrats
are supporting Bush’s moves to curb terrorism, but suggest the
U.S. needs a quick economic boost.
"In
the war on terrorism, President Bush and his national security team
continue to do a superb job," Senate Majority Leader Tom
Daschle (D-SD) said.
"But
there are also reasons to be concerned. Last week, we learned that
the massive surplus we predicted a year ago has shrunk by four
trillion dollars. We are expected to be running deficits for the
remainder of President Bush's term," he said.
Bush
was meeting Saturday with congressional Republican leaders at the
Camp David presidential retreat to discuss the legislative agenda
for the coming year.
Late
Friday the group watched the movie "Black Hawk Down,"
about the botched mission by U.S. soldiers in Somalia in 1993.
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