Facing the Hydra: Maintaining Strategic Balance While Pursuing a Global War Against Terrorism

iv, 23, [3] pages. Endnotes. Some slight wear to the cover edges. The Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) is part of the U.S. Army War College and is the strategic level study agent for issues related to national security and military strategy with emphasis on geostrategic analysis. Studies produced by civilian and military analysts concern topics having strategic implications for the Army, the Department of Defense, and the larger national security community. Paraphrased from the Foreword by Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr., SSI's Director: As the global war on terrorism continues, members of Congress and media pundits are starting to say that American military forces are being stretched too thin by far-flung commitments. While Bush administration officials dispute this, they have expressed desires to reduce peacekeeping commitments and reexamine the number of overseas stations and deployments. Dr. Conrad Crane analyzes the impact of the war on terrorism and the requirements of the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review on the many essential missions conducted by the U.S. Armed Forces. Focusing primarily on the Army, he highlights the requirements associated with combat operations against terrorists, accelerating transformation and the new emphasis on homeland security and force protection. At the same time, he points out that the Army and the other Services must remain involved worldwide in day-to-day assurance, dissuasion, and deterrence activities; execution of peace operations and other smaller-scale contingencies; and remaining ready for other major combat operations. Dr. Crane asserts that these obligations require the Army to reshape and expand its force structure. The author joined SSI in September 2000 after 26 years of military service that concluded with 9 years as Professor of History at the U.S. Military Academy.…