What is Bush planning?

In late June the Bush administration published the final budget for next years defense programs including missile defense. This was the first glimpse at the conclusions of the review of missile defense programs ordered by the President and decisions about what, if any, programs were to be cut.

The budget made it quite clear that no existing programs were to be cut. Instead spending was to be increased and the research and development program was not only to be expanded, but put on a fast track to deployment. Overall, the budget was increased to $8.3 billion USD, an increase of almost sixty percent on the amount the Clinton administration proposed to ask for if they were still in office.