DoD to Build Upon Existing Counter-WMD Capabilities

American Forces Press Service ^ | Jan 27, 2006 | Gerry Gilmore

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – The Defense Department is taking more steps to address the threat that terrorists are seeking weapons of mass destruction to use against U.S. forces and the homeland, a senior DoD official told reporters here today. "If you look at what we've done to date, we've nearly doubled our investments in chemical and biological defenses," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "We've implemented any number of important organizational changes to address the challenges that are posed by WMD more effectively."

The U.S. military must have the capability to protect itself against chemical, nuclear and biological weapons, as well as the competency to locate and characterize such threats, Whitman said.

DoD recently consolidated five formerly separate Defense Threat Reduction Agency locations into one headquarters facility, called the Defense Threat Reduction Center, at Fort Belvoir, Va. DTRA provides capabilities to counter the threat posed by WMDs.

"Countering WMD has been a priority for the department in terms of making sure that our future forces are organized, trained, equipped and resourced to deal with all aspects of threats that are posed by WMD," Whitman said.

The upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review and the 2007 defense budget recommendation will likely reflect the need to bolster counter-WMD programs, Whitman said. "I think that you'll see going forward that we'll be further increasing funding for chemical, biological defense programs," Whitman said.

Whitman characterized a news report today speculating on DoD creating a special military task force to prevent terrorists from acquiring WMDs as "a reflection of some of the things that you will see in the future to build upon some of the things that we've already done."

DoD realizes the importance of having organizations designed, trained and equipped to deal with asymmetrical threats presented by chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, Whitman said.

"The QDR is going to address that," he said. "And our way in which we establish priorities will reflect that."

[AirBorn]

The Terrorists must know by now:

--They WON'T be getting anymore AID and SUPPORT from the democrats in the U.S. any more-once they get MORE egg on their faces with the Breaking News that Saddam DID have at the time if Invasion WMD'S and that they were only MOVED!--and that the American people are finally waking up and seeing the democrats are WRONG for America too!

--and that the American people are Supporting MORE and MORE - spying and attacking those who threaten OUR Secuirty!!

-with them knowing we are watching their Phone calls--their sites--and with possibly no more support from other countries because THEY now won't want us to attack the like we did to Iraq--they can't HIDE the Seriousness of the Threats they impose!!

WE have been calling them Terrorists--their actions have been showing them as The terrorists the are - and the fact that More people are WAKENED and recognizing what could happen if they DID get these Syrian/Saddam WMD's --they will no longer be able to hide in the shadows until their next attack!---I hope at least!

I am just glad THIS Administration DOD staff and supporters are not afraid too to call a Terrorists a Terrrorist!! and NOT an " Insurgent " !!



DAB