OTTAWA, Canada (AP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates is accusing Congress of dumping what he calls a “crisis on my doorstep” by holding the Pentagon to last year’s spending levels.
He said this has the potential to create a $23 billion budget gap this year that could weaken a wartime military.
Mr. Gates says it is increasingly likely that Congress will not act on the Pentagon’s 2011 budget request — which would have the effect of forcing the Pentagon to make do with last year’s amount.
Mr. Gates is warning of emergency cuts to make ends meet.
Mr. Gates also says in an interview that he isn’t ready to reveal the timing of his planned retirement this year. He’s been on the job since former President George W. Bush chose him to replace Donald Rumsfeld in 2006.
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