US budget

Obama's recently released budget reflects the shift in priorities recommended previously by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The shift provides for a number of things, including various measures in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the biggest shift in priorities is focusing on the future and not the present.

The administration appears to be focusing more on researching defense measures which would not be implemented for many years. The manufacturing of the F-22 Raptor and the C-17 cargo plane has been stopped in order to purchase more F-35 fighters. The reason for the cancellation of the F-22 is because the F-22 is an expensive air-to-air fighter being produced during a time when the U.S. has no air-to-air rivals. The F-35 would be an all-purpose jet capable of targeting both land and air enemies.

The plan would also increase the number of special operations soldiers (Navy SEALS, Green Berrets, etc.) by 4 percent and reduce the number of ocean defense vessels produced between now and 2040.