Don't go ahead with defence cuts: Hillary Clinton tells UK Published: Friday, Oct 15, 2010, 16:36 IST  Place: London | Agency: PTI

Admitting that Washington is "worried" over the scale of Britain slashing its expenditure on defence, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton is seeking a last minute intervention with Whitehall to water down the cuts. Both Clinton and defence secretary Robert Gates have voiced their concerns about the planned cuts as Britain's top military brass is set to undertake a heavily charged defence review. The American concerns, British officials feel stem from the worry that UK defence cuts may erode the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance that to at a time when the grouping is involved in a decisive battle against international terror. The US secretary of state told the BBC today that NATO must be "maintained", as it was the "most successful" defencive alliance "in the history of the world". Clinton's comments precede next week's defence spending review, when the scale of cuts will be revealed. Downing Street said an agreement had been "very nearly" finalised. The Treasury has been pushing for a reduction of up to 10% on the 37 billion pound ministry of defence budget between 2011 and 2015. Facing the axe could be the size of the British army, its modernisation and the number of Typhoon fighter jets to be inducted into the Royal Airforce. Defence secretary Robert Gates who is in Brussels for a crucial NATO meeting has said that if America's allies cut their capabilities, the more people will look to the US to cover whatever gaps are created. It is not only that US officials are worried, British army top brass donned their uniforms to march across from Whitehall to 10 Downing Street to raise their concerns in person to the Prime Minister David Cameroon, media report said. Even the defence secretary Liam Fox has warned Cameroon in a letter leaked last month that imposing "draconian" cuts was unjustified at a time when the UK was at war. (dna) ================================================