January 4, 2013 (TSR) – US President Barack Obama signed a US$633 billion military budget bill on Wednesday which he says will ensure continuous support for service members and renew the national security program, even though he did not agree with all the details of the bill.
The bill won the support of Congress on Dec. 20 and 21 and is set to take effect in this fiscal year. Around US$528 billion will be used to purchase weapons, update equipment and pay daily expenses including wages. Another US$88 billion will be spent on operations in Afghanistan and US$17 billion on nuclear weapons, according to Chinese state news agency China News Service.
Obama had said previously that he may reject the bill if an article limiting his power to transfer Guantanamo inmates were not removed. Obama accepted the final draft however on the basis of the need to renew several key defense authorizations and funding even if he had to compromise on certain details.
The president said the bill limits the power of the military regarding what may be done with mothballed ships and aircraft, which increases “unnecessary spending” on the part the Pentagon. It also introduced a rule which says military chaplains do not have to do anything that goes against their religious beliefs, a move which Obama considered a backtrack on his government’s policies to protect the rights of gay servicemen and women, according to China News Service.
The new budget plan also highlights US policy on the sovereignty dispute over the Diaoyutai (Diaoyu or Senkaku) islands in the East China Sea, although the bill is not legally binding. The US government admits that Japan has administrative jurisdiction over the islands, disputed by Japan, China and Taiwan, but said it will not take a political stance on the issue of their sovereignty. The bill reiterated the US commitment to defending territory held by Japan.
The bill also called for stronger sanctions on Iran’s energy, shipping, television and radio sectors and a strict prohibition on any country selling precious metals to Iran. The bill asked the Pentagon to produce a report that evaluates the possibility of sending troops to Syria and approved a US$480 million ballistic missile defense system, of which US$211 billion will be spent on the Iron Dome, a missile defense system developed by Israel with Rafael which is able to intercept short-range rockets.
