Pentagon predicts layoffs in budget fight

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department says 100,000 civilian employees are to get furlough letters next week because of Congress's failure to pass spending bills.

Officials said layoffs would be required to provide continued funding for troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, The Washington Times reported.

Gordon England, deputy defense secretary, told Democratic congressional leaders layoffs would "negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities" and, most importantly, affect support for combat operations. He said layoffs could come as early as mid-January.

England sent letters late Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., head of the Armed Services Committee.

Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., blamed the White House and congressional Republicans for refusing to collaborate on a change of strategy in Iraq.

"Bush Republicans are so afraid of being held accountable for their failed war policy that they would rather leave our men and women on the battlefield shorthanded than work with us," he said.