Obama proposes cuts in funding to US spy agencies in 2014 budget

The proposed budget, unveiled on Wednesday, showed that Obama is seeking $48.2 billion for US spy agencies, an eight percent drop from the president’s $52.6-billion request for fiscal 2013, AFP reported.
 
The 2014 fiscal year starts on October 1.
 
“If we want to keep rebuilding our economy on a stronger, more stable foundation, then we’ve got to get smarter about our priorities as a nation,” Obama said of his 2014 proposal.
 
Last week, National Intelligence Director James Clapper warned that cuts to federal intelligence agencies could undermine their ability to prevent a potential attack on the United States.
 
    “We’re cutting real capability and accepting greater risk,” Clapper said, adding, “For intelligence, this is not quite like shorter hours for public parks or longer lines at the airports. For intelligence, it’s insidious.”
 
 
“The capability we cut out today, you won’t know about that, you won’t notice it,” he said. “The public won’t notice it. You’ll notice it only when we have a failure,” Clapper stated.
 
Analysts believe Obama’s calls for the cuts are indicative of growing fiscal pressures.
 
The US economy shrank by 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, casting doubt on the strength of economic recovery in the country.