The fiscal year 2002 defense budget is largely completed and should be sent to Congress within days, according to Pentagon officials. President Bush will ask for about $18 billion more than the $325 billion the administration identified as a "placeholder" figure for defense when the FY-02 budget was released in April, these sources said. Pentagon budget planners expect to work late Friday (June 22) and over the weekend on the details of the request, with program budget decisions expected to...
