Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 10 February 2018

The Aruba Today Newspaper announces that due to the official Carnival Monday
Holiday, we will not be in circulation Monday, February 12 . We will be back on
th
newsstands everywhere bright and early to serve our readers and advertisers first
thing in the morning, Tuesday, February 13th. Until then, enjoy swinging and sway-
ing to the hot beats and cool island rhythms this weekend for the finale of Aruba ‘s
Carnival 63! Wishing you a safe and happy Carnival Weekend, from the team at
Aruba Today, Aruba’s ONLY English Newspaper!

A budget the likes of which the Pentagon has never seen

By ROBERT BURNS is that the budgets have
RICHARD LARDNER been stretched by rising
Associated Press personnel costs, more ex-
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s pensive technology invest-
the biggest budget the ments and other factors,
Pentagon has ever seen: compounded by the cu-
$700 billion. That’s far more mulative effects of more
in defense spending than than a decade of combat
America’s two nearest in Afghanistan, Iraq and
competitors, China and elsewhere in the Middle
Russia, and will mean the East. And throughout this
military can foot the bill period, the military has
for thousands more troops, been required to keep up
more training, more ships or even increase its pace
and a lot else. of operations at home
And next year it would rise and abroad -- and there is
to $716 billion. Together, no letup in sight. “We are
the two-year deal provides stretched too thin,” Har-
what Defense Secretary rison said Friday. “We are
Jim Mattis says is needed trying to do too much with
to pull the military out of a the size force that we have
slump in combat readiness all around the world. Mon-
at a time of renewed focus The Pentagon is seen from air from Air Force One. It’s the biggest budget the Pentagon has ever ey doesn’t necessarily fix
on the stalemated con- seen: $700 billion. That’s far more in defense spending than America’s two nearest competitors, that.” The U.S. has far fewer
flict in Afghanistan and the China and Russia, and will mean the military can for the bill for thousands more troops, more troops in Iraq than it did 10
threat of war on the Korean training, more ships and a lot else. years ago, and the roughly
peninsula. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) 15,000 in Afghanistan today
The budget bill that Presi- ing Iraq and expanding was stacking up, troops think. Even with the spend- compare with a peak of
dent Donald Trump signed national defense after the were not getting enough ing caps of recent years, 100,000 in 2010-11, but the
Friday includes huge 9/11 attacks. training and the uncertain the defense budget has trend is leaning in the op-
spending increases for the Every secretary of defense budget outlook was cloud- been robust by historical posite direction under Presi-
military: The Pentagon will since 2011, when the Con- ing America’s future. standards. Todd Harrison, dent Donald Trump, includ-
get $94 billion more this gress passed a law setting “I cannot overstate the a defense budget special- ing stepped up counterter-
budget year than last -- a firm limits on military and negative impact to our ist at the Center for Security rorism operations in Soma-
15.5 percent jump. It’s the domestic spending, has troops and families’ moral and International Studies, lia and Yemen. Trump has
biggest year-over-year complained that spend- from all this budget uncer- says military funding has added several thousand
windfall since the budget ing caps set by the Budget tainty,” Mattis said just hours been near the inflation- troops in Afghanistan. Also,
soared by 26.6 percent, Control Act were squeezing before the House and Sen- adjusted peak levels of the the prospect of war against
from $345 billion in 2002 to the military so hard that the ate approved the deal. armed forces buildup dur- North Korea looms large as
$437 billion the year after, number of ready-to-fight More money for the Pen- ing the 1980s under Presi- Trump insists on compelling
when the nation was fight- combat units was dwin- tagon, however, is not the dent Ronald Reagan. the North to give up its nu-
ing in Afghanistan, invad- dling. Aging equipment simple solution some might The problem, Harrison says, clear weapons.q

Obama-backed committee targeting races in 11 states

By JULIE SMYTH Attorney General Eric Hold- maps that benefit one par- ing on these state and lo- list. In Ohio, a perennial
Associated Press er, said this year’s election ty over another, has led to cal races, we can ensure political battleground, the
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A cycle is critical to affect- partisanship, gridlock and Democrats who will fight for committee plans to support
Democratic group backed ing the congressional re- incivility in Washington. fairness have a seat at the Democrats for five offices
by former President Barack districting process. It is the “In 2011, Republicans cre- table when new maps are — governor, auditor, sec-
Obama said this week it first cycle whose winners ated gerrymandered dis- drawn in 2021.”The group is retary of state, Ohio Senate
plans to invest millions of will participate in drawing tricts that locked them- targeting races in 11 states, and Ohio House — as well
dollars in state-level elec- congressional maps for the selves into power and including nine guberna- as pushing a redistricting
tions in 11 states this year, decade starting in 2021. shut out voters from the torial races, 18 legislative ballot measure. The group
with its heaviest focus on The push comes amid bi- electoral process,” Holder chambers, two ballot initia- also participated in the Vir-
Ohio. The National Demo- partisan national concern said in announcing the tives and two down-ballot ginia House last year, and
cratic Redistricting Com- that political gerrymander- group’s electoral targets races. Eight more states are has targeted both its House
mittee, led by former U.S. ing, the process of drawing on Wednesday. “By focus- on the committee’s watch and Senate in 2019.q