U.S. Defense Department Study Stresses Homeland Defense Role

The U.S. military must make defense of the American territory its primary mission and sharpen its ability to counter surprise attack as it grapples with foes both old and new, said a Defense Department study released Monday.

Overall, the report, known as the "Quadrennial Defense Review," echoes Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's concept of a more agile military as it seeks to deter terrorism and surprise attack on the United States.

The report, the military's every-four-year study of strategy and force structure, had once been expected to call for sweeping changes in the size and scope of the nation's military forces and weaponry in line with early Bush administration pledges to reshape the armed forces.

However, in the wake of the September 11 terrorism attacks on New York and Washington, the report avoids such major moves.

The report, which was delivered to the U.S. Congress Sunday, does reflect adjustments in a post-Cold War world view: It looks to put more warships in the Western Pacific and shift Marine Corps equipment from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf areas.

It foresees placing a newly fashioned Army brigade in Europe by 2007 and enhancing ground forces in the Persian Gulf. And it predicts America's opponents will continue to use the most unusual tactics, as suicide hijackers did in the September 11 airliner strikes on the World Trade Center in New York and the Defense Department building in Washington.

While improving the defense of U.S. territory may require changes in force organization, the report said, the country must maintain the current force structure of about 1.4 million men and women on active duty and 1.3 million in reserve.

The study refers to the current Navy force of 12 aircraft carriers, 10 active Army divisions, 46 active Air Force fighter squadrons and three Marine Corps expeditionary forces as the baseline for the nation's major fighting force.






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