The United States' 2005 fiscal year defense budget has hit record high, betraying its real motive to strengthen its status as the sole superpower in the world, according to an article in People's Daily. An excerpt follows:

The United States recently released the stunningly high defense budget figure, amounting to US$417.5 billion.

This accounts for about one-third of the world's total, and on average, the country spends about US$1.1 billion per day.

At the ceremony specially held for the signature of the defense budget bill, US President George W. Bush proclaimed that the defense bill would make the country safer, would contribute to its efforts to "maintain world peace" and keep the security promises made to its allies.

Obviously, such a colossal amount in a military budget has far outweighs the defense needs of a country. Protecting homeland security and combating terrorism combined, are not enough to justify such a high level of military spending.

The September 11 terrorist attacks have made the security issue a great concern for Americans.

In this context, the Bush administration enlarged the defense budget significantly and professed that the dramatic increase was intended to deal with the threat of terrorism.

But what hides behind the military build-up is a desire by the leadership to be a world leader, support its global expansion and ultimately establish a unipolar global order.

However, the expansionist global strategy of the United States encounters the opposition of many countries and even incurs rebukes from its allies.

The dilemma the United States confronts after the Second Gulf War and its global war on terror shows that use of force alone worsens rather than improves the security situation of the world.

What is more, the Bush administration is poised to reap profits for his election prospects by increasing billions of dollars in the defense budget.

The steep rise in military spending will enhance economic growth in a short time and will obtain Bush a crowd of firm supporters from the defense industry through distributing high-return defense contracts.

(China Daily August 24, 2004)