Defense budget cuts: The split within the GOP

Traditional Republicans for whom Pentagon spending is sacrosanct are clashing with Tea Party-backed deficit hawks. Who will win?

Defense Secretary Robert Gates' proposed $178 billion military cuts has sparked a rift among Republican leaders.
(Image credit: Getty)

To cut, or not to cut? That is the dilemma facing Washington's Republican leadership when it comes to the military. Traditional GOP principles hold that slashing the defense budget is anathema, particularly when the U.S. is conducting two wars overseas. But for Tea Party-backed House freshmen determined to tackle the deficit, no government department should be spared the axe. Here, an instant guide to the split:

Why are Republicans debating this now?

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