He's due to give his briefing about his budget priorities at 1:30 today. His spokesman is already backing away from the notion that the Pentagon budget is all about cuts. He was out there this morning hawking the defense 'add-ons' in the budget to reporters . . .
Gates to propose US defense add-ons, not just cuts WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will propose to add "a lot of" U.S. capabilities even as he proposes to cut certain arms programs at a briefing starting at 1:30 p.m. (1530 GMT) on Monday, a Pentagon spokesman said.
"He's going to be adding a lot of things to capabilities that we need to," Bryan Whitman told reporters.
Among other things, Gates will speak about the fledgling, multibillion-dollar U.S. missile defense shield, Whitman said.
Gates is widely expected to cut or delay some programs designed for conventional wars in exchange for boosting intelligence, surveillance, communications and reconnaissance programs that are designed to thwart insurgents in places like Iraq and Afghanistan . . .
report:
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN0639949820090406