Pentagon plans new arms to meet rivals (Reuters) Updated: 2006-02-05 09:37
The United States will build new long-range weapons in a hedge against
potential rivals like China, the Pentagon said in a new strategic blueprint on
Friday.
The plan also would boost U.S. special forces by 15 percent to fight
terrorism, create a military task force to thwart transfers of chemical,
biological and nuclear weapons and expand psychological warfare
capabilities.
An aerial view of
the Pentagon building in Washington, June 15, 2005.
[Reuters] |
The Pentagon released the congressionally mandated Quadrennial Defense Review
to outline its strategy for meeting anticipated security threats in the next 20
years.
The blueprint comes at a time of strain for the U.S. military, with 138,000
troops fighting a nearly 3-year-old war in Iraq and thousands more in
Afghanistan searching for al Qaeda network leaders.
It said the choices of "major and emerging powers," including India, Russia
and China, would be key to the 21st century international security environment.
"Of the major and emerging powers, China has the greatest potential to
compete militarily with the United States and field disruptive military
technologies that could over time offset traditional U.S. military advantages
absent U.S. counter strategies," the document said.
The report said China was likely to continue making large investments in such
weapons as ballistic and cruise missiles, air defense systems and submarines.
LONG-DISTANCE OPERATIONS
Referring to China's large territory and a lack of U.S. bases in the area,
the Pentagon said it places a premium on "forces capable of sustained operations
at great distances."
The blueprint, unveiled before Monday's delivery to Congress of a 2007
defense budget request of $439.3 billion, recommended a new long-range "strike"
capability to be fielded by 2018 and modernizing the current bomber force.
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