Homeland Defense: Ramping Up, But What's the Glide Path?

The attacks of September 11, 2001 have brought about massive increases in spending for homeland security and have established defense of the homeland as a primary responsibility of the Defense Department. DoDs most recent Quadrennial Defense Review clearly states that defense of the continental United States has become a top priority for the military The highest priority of the United States military is to defend the nation from all enemies. The United States will maintain sufficient military forces to protect the U.S. domestic population, its territory and its critical defense-related infrastructure against attacks emanating from outside U.S. borders as appropriate under U.S. law. The Defense Department launched OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE--the direct defense of the continental United States--in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The operation consisted initially of NORAD assuming control over active forces with air and anti-air capabilities to ensure the security of U.S. airspace. After the attack, DoD moved aggressively to enhance civilian and government site security using reserve and active forces. The most visible of these forces have been the 7200 National Guard troops augmenting security at 444 airports around the country. The United States also requested and received assistance from NATO partners under article 5 of the NATO treaty, freeing up U.S. E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft to support OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, the offensive operations against Al Qaeda in the Afghan theater. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers told Congress in early February that DoD is in the midst of modifying the Unified Command Plan to establish a combatant command for homeland security. Likely to be called NORCOM, or the Northern Command, details are still being worked out over the nature and structure of the command.