Obama: Pentagon leaner, maintains 'military superiority'

2011, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, who will attend the briefing on military changes.

By The Associated Press
Published: January 05, 2012
Updated: January 05, 2012 - 11:24 AM

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WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama insists the United States will maintain what he calls the best-equipped military in history despite deep and looming defense budget cuts.

In a rare appearance in the Pentagon briefing room, Obama has offered the outlines of an overhauled defense strategy. It is designed to contend with hundreds of billions of dollars in budget cuts and refocus the United States' national security priorities after a decade dominated by the post.-Sept. 11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Obama says the military will be leaner but promises the world that the U.S. will maintain its "military superiority" with fighting forces ready for any threat.

The president says the strategy review centered on the military the country needs after the "long wars of the last decade are over."