Clinton, Panetta warn about budgets cuts on US security

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned on Tuesday that cuts in their departments' budget could affect US national security around the world. "As we go through these budget tests that we're going to go through, that the country recognize how important it is that we maintain our national security and that we be strong", said Panetta during remarks along with Clinton at the National Defense University. "We recognize that we're in a resource limitation here and that we got to deal we've those challenges, but I don't think you have to choose between our national security and fiscal responsibility", he added. Panetta noted that a cut in Pentagon budget "would terribly weaken our ability to respond to the threats in the world. But more importantly, it would break faith with the troops and with their families. Any kind of cut like that would literally undercut our ability to put together the kind of strong national defense we have today". "We all know we are going to have to be able to exercise some fiscal restraint as we go through our budgets", he added. "We are a national security team. We are all on the American team. And by that, I mean that we have civilians who are in the field with our military forces in areas of conflict; we have civilians who are in the field on their own in other very dangerous settings, without our military with boots on the ground.", said Clinton in return. She warned that "we are reasserting our presence in the Pacific. We are a Pacific power. That means all elements of our national security team have to be present. And we cannot be abruptly pulling back or pulling out when we know we face some long-term challenges about how we're going to cope with what the rise of China means". Panetta also addressed the situation in Libya, saying that the rebels "are moving in the west towards Tripoli that pressure is having an impact; that the regime forces are weakened, (Colonel Moammar) Qadhafi's forces are weakened". "The fact is the combination of NATO forces there, the combination of what the opposition is doing, the sanctions, the international pressure, the work of the Arab League -- all of that has been very helpful in moving this in the right direction. And I think the sense is that Qadhafi's days are numbered", he concluded.