Report questions budget priorities

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A report released Monday questions the funding priorities of the Bush administration for what it says is a militarization of the U.S. foreign policy.

The annual report released by the Washington-based non-profit liberal think tank the Institute for Policy Studies analyzes the Unified Security Budget for the United States for fiscal year 2008.

The report criticizes the increased budget allocations for the U.S. Defense Department's military initiatives over the State Department's diplomatic priorities, the Institute for Policy Studies reported.

The report says the funding ratio for military forces vs. non-military has increased to 18-1 from 16-1.

In the fifth publication of the report, the Institute for Policy Studies calls for a departure from a current military-led foreign policy and recommends "re-balancing security spending."

"It's quintessential Washington business as usual that keeps the goal of re-balancing security resources firmly ensconced as what everybody wants, and nobody does," Miriam Pemberton, one of the report's two lead authors, said in a statement.