The US military has been hard hit by sweeping budget cuts, but has not lost its capacity to stand up to an attack by North Korea, defense officials said on Wednesday, reports RIA Novosti.
“We have every capability to deal with any action North Korea would take, to protect this country, and the interests of this country, and our allies,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said at a briefing on the Pentagon’s 2014 proposed budget.
Hagel said the “sequester” – sweeping government budget cuts that took effect last month – has cut some $41 billion from the defense department budget for fiscal year 2013.
The sequester budget cuts “will lead to the suspension of important activities, curtailed training, and could result in furloughs of civilian personnel,” Hagel warned.
Defense Department Comptroller Robert Hale, who is Hagel’s lead adviser on budgetary matters, said that the sequester budget cuts would have “significant adverse effects on military readiness.”
“But I want to make clear to our adversaries: even though we have budget problems, we’re still there and we will protect the United States and our allies,” he said.
