The US military has been hard hit by sweeping budget cuts, but has not lost its capacity to stand up to an attack by North Korea, defense officials said Wednesday. “We have every capability to deal with any action North Korea would take, to protect this country, and the interests of this country, and our allies,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said at a briefing on the Pentagon’s 2014 proposed budget, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti. Hagel said the “sequester” - sweeping government budget cuts that took effect last month - has cut some $41 billion from the defense department bud

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday criticized changes made by US lawmakers to last year's defense budget as purely political and contrary to the department's future as envisioned by Pentagon leaders. Hagel expressed frustration that -- despite Pentagon efforts to trim programs it deems bloated -- members of Congress have reintroduced expendable programs, apparently to please constituents in their home districts.

The Pentagon laid out a budget plan Wednesday that holds military spending steady next year without taking into account the cost of the war in Afghanistan or rolling automatic budget cuts. President Barack Obama's request of $526.6 billion for the Defense Department keeps the base budget at about the same level as in 2013, avoiding dramatic cuts to weapons or benefits.

The Pentagon laid out a budget plan Wednesday that would hold military spending steady next year but ignores harsh political realities that are likely to force steep cuts in defense funding. President Barack Obama proposed a $526.6 billion base budget for the military in fiscal year 2014, which would keep defense spending at about the same level as in 2013. But the Pentagon's spending blueprint, which calls for investments in new aircraft, ships and other weapons, could turn out to be merely a wish list given the bitter political stalemate gripping Washington.