The US is set to unveil its new defence strategy today that will guide Pentagon budget cuts in the coming years and is expected to end the decade-old policy of maintaining a force capable of fighting two wars at once.
The President, Mr Barack Obama, will make a rare appearance at the Pentagon to outline the new strategy.
The move comes after a comprehensive review of US defence strategy by the President, America’s civilian and uniformed military leadership, and the Administration’s national security team, the White House said.
The defence strategy review is likely to come up with the policy of developing a strategy of fighting and winning one war, while being able to block or spoil aggressive actions elsewhere, media reports said.
This will guide budget priorities and decisions going forward, the White House said.
The White House Press Secretary, Mr Jay Carney, said the defence strategic review recognises that the US is at a turning point after a decade of war, with new challenges and opportunities that call for a reshaping of its defence priorities.
“To meet these new challenges under increased budget constraints, the President made clear to his team that we need to take a hard look at all of our defence spending to ensure that spending cuts are surgical and that are top priorities are met,” Mr Carney told reporters.
He said the review is ongoing and will ensure that the US is able to meet the challenges of this moment responsibly and emerge even stronger, in a manner that preserves its global leadership, maintains its military superiority and keeps faith with its troops, military families and veterans.
“The President has been deeply involved in this process. He’s personally engaged in the defence strategy,” he said, adding that Mr Obama has been consulting his top security and pentagon advisors on this issue.