Iran said on Sunday that the USA's decision to increase military expenditure by some 12bn dollars next year was probably made to make up for its failure to achieve its military objectives during the recent strikes against Iraq.

The following are excerpts from a commentary by Iranian radio.

At a time when reducing military budgets and expenditure has become an accepted policy for confronting economic problems throughout the world, Bill Clinton announced yesterday that he would be adding more than 12bn dollars to America's military budget next year... The question here is why - despite the reduction in the military budget in most countries and the stability of the American military budget in the years following the Cold War - has the American administration suddenly decided to increase its military budget to the tune of 100bn dollars in six years? One probability is that Clinton's new decision is part of the usual conflict between the Republicans and the Democrats.

At present, Clinton, by climbing down from his earlier stance of opposing an increase in the military budget, has adopted a new position so that he can, so-to-speak, disarm the opposite side and take the initiative.

Another likelihood is a link between this and the recent crisis following the British and American onslaught against Iraq.

This is because recently there have been reports which indicate a reduction in America's missile stockpile and military equipment during the recent attacks and America's inability to achieve its military goals.

On the other hand, there is also the probability that the emergence of certain international changes, including the change of tone of Russian officials during America's clash with Iraq and Russia putting its nuclear missiles on alert, have led the Pentagon to think about increasing its military capability. ..

Bearing in mind all these probabilities, it can be said that America feels that the only way to keep intact its supremacy and power in the international economic and political order is to preserve its military position and to strengthen it .

This stems from the pessimistic perspective of the American militarists who believe that in a totally free world, the USA does not have the capability for economic and political competition with other actual and potential powers and only an increased military capability can enhance that country's competitive power in the face of its competitors.