报道：美国陆军规模将削减至二战前水平

The New York Times says the Obama administration is preparing to shrink the U.S. Army to its smallest size since before World War II.

Pentagon officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Times Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will call for reducing the number of soldiers to between 440,000 and 450,000 over the coming years. 

The Pentagon was already planning to cut the size of the Army, which had grown to 570,000 in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Hagel will also call for eliminating an entire fleet of Air Force attack aircraft designed to destroy tanks deployed by the former Soviet Union. 

The proposed cuts will be announced on Monday.

The Times says Hagel's proposal reflects a new push to reduce overall government spending, as well as President Barack Obama's pledge to end the costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Officials say the reductions will result in a military capable of defeating any adversary, but too small for lengthy foreign operations.