The Pentagon announced on Tuesday (September 3rd) that it has released $ 3.6 billion to finance the construction of 280 km of anti-migrant wall on the border with Mexico, at the request of President Donald Trump.
But it will save elsewhere: the US Department of Defense has decided to "postpone" 127 projects for the construction and modernization of military premises in the United States and abroad provided in its budget 2019, told the press a spokesman for the ministry, Jonathan Hoffman.
Among the projects affected is a building of the prestigious West Point Military Academy, said Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer. "It's a slap for the armed forces that serve our country," he tweeted. President Donald Trump is "ready to cannibalize military funds already allocated to satisfy his ego and for a wall he promised Mexico would pay," he added.
Defense Minister Mark Esper "has decided that these construction projects are necessary to support the use of the armed forces and the Ministry of Defense will therefore carry out 11 projects of military construction of border fence," said Jonathan Hoffman.
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"The total length (...) is 175 miles," said Pentecost Homeland Security Officer Kenneth Rapuano. He said that it is a question of reinforcing existing border barrier segments but considered insufficient, as well as building new segments. The areas considered are notably located near Yuma (Arizona), El Centro and San Diego (California), Laredo and El Paso (Texas).
General Andrew Poppas, director of operations at the US General Staff, assured that the construction of these border wall pans would reduce the number of US troops deployed at the Mexican border at the request of Donald Trump, who wants to stem a wave of immigration from Latin America.
With AFP