If America goes over the fiscal cliff,a massive 1.2 trillion dollar across the board spending cut will go into force on January 1,along with tax increases.The Department of Defense will take a disproportionate hit of about 500 million dollars,on top of 478 million dollars in cuts it is already sustaining.That's almost a trillion dollars wrung out of the defence budget.
Considering all the threats in the world today,these huge reductions could not be more ill-timed.North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile this week points this up.Eventually,this could become a nuclear warhead delivery system capable of reaching the Pacific Northwest.The technology may also be shared with Iran,which is developing its own nuclear programme.
An uncertain number of US troops will remain in Afghanistan following the official withdrawal of 2014.
In Africa and in Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula,al-Qaida militants are quite active,holding territory and staging attacks.
Both Iran and al-Qaida are active in Syria,currently wracked by civil war.
China is roiling the waters of the South China Sea with its territorial ambitions and remains a threat to Taiwan.The US has just begun repositioning its forces to be more present in the Pacific,but this new policy would be hindered by the looming budget cuts.
Thus one of the biggest threats to global security is the current inability of Congress and the President to reach a budgetary agreement.
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