27 January 2009: The News
LONDON: The global slowdown will stretch defence budgets worldwide, notably complicating the task of new US President Barack Obama as he switches foreign policy focus, a top think tank said Tuesday.
As Obama moves to pull troops from Iraq and bolster forces in Afghanistan he will face continuing tensions with NATO allies, themselves also tightening belts at home, said the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Elsewhere, the think tank's "Military Balance 2009" noted Russia's bolstering of its military stance around the world, as national pride in the country's military forces swells in the wake of Russia's conflict with Georgia last year. Obama, who has moved quickly to reverse a series of his predecessor's policies since taking office last week, will find his administration constrained more than ever by the bottom line and domestic priorities.
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