[infowar.de] Rumsfeld Testifies on Need for New Strategic Framework

["Thomas Wiegold" <wiegold -! - focus-r - de>]

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Natürlich taucht auch der Begriff cyber attack auf.


** Rumsfeld Testifies on Need for New Strategic Framework
(Responding to unexpected dangers, new threats tops agenda)

    Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told members of the Senate Armed
Services Committee June 21 that the world is changing and that U.S. military
strategy must change too lest the United States find itself "facing new and
daunting threats we did not expect and will be unprepared to meet."
    Although a new defense strategy has not yet been chosen, Rumsfeld said
the current one is not working, thereby prompting the question: "What might
be better?" In the next six to eight weeks, he said, various ideas about a
new strategy and the size of the accompanying military force will be tested
through various scenarios, models, and consultations. "By later this summer
and early fall, we will know whether we have something we can confidently
recommend to the President, the National Security Council and the Congress,"
the secretary said.
    In his first testimony before Congress since his confirmation hearing
earlier this year, Rumsfeld identified four defense policy goals which the
new strategy must support:
    -- Provide assurance to U.S. friends and allies that the United States
can respond to unexpected dangers and newly emerging threats and that
commitments will be kept;
    -- Dissuade potential adversaries -- to the extent possible -- from
developing or deploying threatening capabilities;
    -- Deter hostile acts by potential adversaries and counter coercion
against the United States and its military forces, friends, and allies; and
-- Defend the United States, its military, friends and allies -- should
deterrence and dissuasion fail -- and be prepared to defeat decisively any
adversary.
    Rumsfeld outlined the threats, saying that "terrorism and attacks by
special operations forces, including the use of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons, is a growing concern. Cyber-attacks are increasing. The
threat of ballistic and cruise missile attack is increasing. Allied and frie
ndly nations are also at increased risk." The task is to prepare now and not
wait until the threats fully emerge, he said.
    Warfare today is conducted on short timelines, he said, and "adversaries
understand that their success may turn on their ability to achieve their
objectives before the U.S. and its allies and friends can react."
    Rumsfeld also laid out the case of the growing number of nations
developing weapons of mass destruction and the capability to delivery them.
He said that since 1972 the number of nations pursuing biological weapons
has grown from an unknown number to 13; the number of nations with chemical
weapons programs has grown by 6 to 16; nations with nuclear weapon programs
has increased by 7 to 12; and the number of nations with ballistic missiles
has jumped from 9 to 28.
    Experience has shown, the secretary said, that Iraq's Saddam Hussein has
been willing to use poison gas on his own people, fired ballistic missiles
against Israel and Saudi Arabia, and has pursued a nuclear weapons program
aggressively. Iran, too, has used ballistic missiles, he said, but against
opposition forces inside Iraq.
    While weapons proliferation is increasing, Rumsfeld said, so is the
power, range and sophistication of advanced conventional weapons. Harnessed
by Western nations this could be a good thing, but harnessed by adversaries
it could lead to unpleasant surprises ahead. "Future adversaries may use
these advanced conventional capabilities to deny us access to distant
theaters of operation," he said.

    Full text of Rumsfeld's remarks as prepared for delivery:
    http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/2001/s20010621-secdef.html


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