US to strengthen presence in Asia-Pacific region

As part of the new plan unveiled at an event at the Pentagon, US President Barack Obama is vowing to strengthen the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, despite the fiscal constraints he's imposing on the US military.

"We will be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of that critical region."

The new strategy is set to radically change defense priorities, which is likely to include a huge drawback in Europe.

"Yes, the tide of war is receding. But the question that this strategy answers is 'What kind of military will we need long after the wars of the last decade are over?' And, today, we're fortunate to be moving forward from a position of strength."

Obama says the changes will reflect the United States' current military needs, while at the same time, not sacrificing US military strength.

"Yes, our military will be leaner, but the world must know the United States is going to��maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible, and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats."

As part of the plan, Obama also says a priority is going to be placed on intelligence gathering, while at the same time, changing the focus away from the more traditional "Cold War-era" mindset toward defense spending.

The specific cuts to troop numbers or weapons programs are set to be announced next month in the new federal budget.

Obama's new strategy is designed to accommodate at least 450 billion US dollars of military spending cuts over the next decade.

The United States spends about 600-billion US dollars a year on its military.