The U.S. defense budget has ballooned to unheard of heights in the past years.
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan along with ambitious technologically advanced projects like the F-35 and the new class of aircraft carriers are expensive — and the president insisted cuts be made immediately.
This is what came to Washington most easily. It's a list that will save the county almost $60 billion a year, but still leaves the defense budget at a staggering $650 billion a year.
If nothing changes, however, and the big across-the-board cuts come in August this round of budget cuts will this batch seem like pocket change.
The President's budget request for national defense discretionary programs within the Committee on Armed Services in fiscal year 2013 was $631.6 billion.
The Senate bill — which we dissect here — authorizes $631.4 billion, in line with the Administration's request, making huge cuts to get there.
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