War in an Age of Deficits

For now, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has the money he needs to fund military operations in Libya from existing coffers. This is a short-term strategy that will sustain a relatively low-level of U.S. expenditures.

But if our intervention in Libya drags on, Gates will be forced to examine other options to support combat pay, munitions, fuel and the other costs of war.

With a raging federal budget deficit, an already astronomically high level of defense spending and five months of continuing resolutions to fund current year Pentagon costs, this will not be a simple task.

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This article was originally published in CNNMoney.