Rumsfeld approves plan to fighting outside of war zones

[dajoki]

WP
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12412488

U.S. foresees fighting beyond war zones

Rumsfeld approves new plans for expanding anti-terror operations

Updated: 10:22 p.m. ET April 22, 2006

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has approved the military's most ambitious plan yet to fight terrorism around the world and retaliate more rapidly and decisively in the case of another major terrorist attack on the United States, according to defense officials.

The long-awaited campaign plan for the global war on terrorism, as well as two subordinate plans also approved within the past month by Rumsfeld, are considered the Pentagon's highest priority, according to officials familiar with the three documents who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about them publicly.

Details of the plans are secret, but in general they envision a significantly expanded role for the military -- and, in particular, a growing force of elite Special Operations troops -- in continuous operations to combat terrorism outside of war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Developed over about three years by the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in Tampa, the plans reflect a beefing up of the Pentagon's involvement in domains traditionally handled by the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department.

Fighting beyond conventional borders
For example, SOCOM has dispatched small teams of Army Green Berets and other Special Operations troops to U.S. embassies in about 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America, where they do operational planning and intelligence gathering to enhance the ability to conduct military operations where the United States is not at war.

And in a subtle but important shift contained in a classified order last year, the Pentagon gained the leeway to inform -- rather than gain the approval of -- the U.S. ambassador before conducting military operations in a foreign country, according to several administration officials. "We do not need ambassador-level approval," said one defense official familiar with the order.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I wish I were not writing prophecy... oh never mind

when we face a force that is far more reliant on ahem conventional forces... we will learn what a huge mistake this is from the boys playing RISK with real lives... *cought China Cought*

[low_phreaq]

2. LBN thread here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2242378

[Kagemusha]

3. See, outside war zones = countries with which we are "at peace"

And that's gonna be a problem.

[dajoki]

4. MAJOR PROBLEM!!

[Webster Green]

5. The fascist bastards are trying to legitimizing their death squads..

When will we get these war criminals locked up?

[incapsulated]

6. They used to call this "Black Ops"

Now it's just policy for the war on terra.

[Toots]

7. Now they can assassinate foreign leaders at will and claim legality.

The world should tremble....They have just declared themselves rulers of the world..The whole world has become their "war zone" Any foreign leader they disagree with (Chavez) they just need to lable a terror supporter and take them out.

[bemildred]

8. More wiping his ass with the Constitution. nt

[OzarkDem]

9. And the Geneva Convention

It appears the news media and the general public have completely forgotten how diplomacy works. Terrorists are criminals, nothing more. You fight them the way you fight any criminal organization.

Fighting terrorism is a police action, undertaken in cooperation with allies and utilizing the international law enforcement structure that was set up for that purpose.

Since when did it become acceptable or even legal for countries to use unilateral military action to fight crime? We need to disabuse the news media and the public of the notion that military action is acceptable or even preferable in dealing with criminals. The idea that they accept such a philosophy without question is appalling.

How would Americans feel if another foreign country decided to invade the US because they suspected criminals were hiding here? I don't give a rats ass about globalization - it doesn't sanction the trashing of global treaties and the international system of law enforcement.

[dajoki]

11. Diplomacy?

This administration never new the meaning of the word. Yeah, they tried to bullshit everyone, but it was war they had on their minds even before they stepped into the White House.

[cliss]

10. See? What did I tell you.

Rumsfailed is under UNPRECEDENTED criticism. The attacks are relentless. The generals are showing NO signs of backing down. It's become a Mutiny on the Bounty. The howling is reaching the stratosphere.

And yet, this old is busy as a beaver, concocting new plans to destroy the world as we speak.

Let no one be mistaken: these guys will continue to hang on to power, even as they are being pulled from the White House, with their fingers hanging on to the door moulding.

EVERY DAY that they get to go back to the White House, they are A SUCCESS. That's all they care about. Nothing else. public opinion? You've got to be kidding. The generals? Fuck them.