WarSclerotic

WASHINGTON – Two leading Republicans chastised US President Barack Obama for cutting missile defense funding to Israel in the 2013 budget, in a letter obtained by The Jerusalem Post Wednesday.

“We are deeply concerned that at a time of rising threats to our strongest ally in the Middle East, the administration is requesting record-low support for this vital defense cooperation program,” wrote Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Buck McKeon, chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

The new White House budget request reduces funding for joint US-Israel missile defense programs from $106 million for this year to $99 million in 2013.

The authors noted that Congress ended up more than doubling the 2012 administration request to $215 million.

Democratic Hill sources have told the Post that they anticipate a similar Congressional increase in funding for 2013, wiping out any reduction in the president’s budget.

The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The National Jewish Democratic Council, however, defended Obama’s budget, which also included $3.1 billion in military assistance to Israel in addition to the missile defense spending.

“The fact is that the president submitted to Congress on Monday the largest White House budget request for foreign military assistance for Israel ever,” said NJDC President David Harris. “But it’s not just the largest for Israel. It’s the largest foreign military assistance request for any country in history.”

Harris described the White House request and the anticipated Congressional boosting for missile defense as consistent with the practice of former president George W. Bush, a Republican.

“I’m aware that there’s a $6 million piece of pain,” Harris said, but added, “This is only the first step in the process and I’m confident that President Obama will ensure that Israel gets every dollar it needs for missile defense.”