Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

And the Galactic Overlord Medal for Most Outstanding Bullshit . . .

in the Delta Quadrant of the Galaxy goes to -- the envelope, please --

The U.S. Department of Defense for

National Military Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction™

The report never actually defines Weapons of Mass Destruction™. I guess we're just supposed to figure they're whatever the Generals say they are at whatever particular time they want to say so. It also never says what the strategy is. Instead, it goes on for 30 pages in the following vein. I've snipped this in various places but it doesn't matter because you wouldn't be able to tell the difference if I did or I didn't.

The strategic military framework to combat WMD consists of ends (the military strategic goal and associated end state), ways (military strategic objectives), and means (combatant commands, Military Departments, and combat support agencies) applied across the three pillars of the National Strategy to Combat WMD (nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and consequence management).

The combatant commands, military departments, and combat support agencies are the means to accomplish MSOs. Commander, U.S. Strategic Command (CDRUSSTRATCOM) is the lead combatant commander for integrating and synchronizing DOD in combating WMD. Consistent with this assignment, USSTRATCOM will integrate and synchronize applicable Department of Defense-wide efforts across the doctrine, organization, training, material, leadership, personnel, and facilities spectrum. Combatant Commanders will continue to execute combating WMD missions within their AORs. Military efforts will need to be integrated with other organizations and nations that possess capabilities, resources, or information that can contribute to the mission.

Strategic enablers are crosscutting capabilities that facilitate execution of the military strategy. They enhance the effectiveness and integration of military combating WMD mission capabilities. Commanders must continually assess enabling capabilities and identify required improvements. Three strategic enablers facilitate DoD’s efforts to combat WMD: intelligence, partnership capacity, and strategic communication support.

The military mission is to dissuade, deter, and defeat those who seek to harm the United States, its allies, and partners through WMD use or threat of use. This mission is in direct support of the three pillars (nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and consequence management) of the national strategy for combating WMD. Across the four military strategic objectives, U.S. Armed Forces may be called upon to carry out eight missions: offensive operations, elimination, interdiction, active defense, passive defense, WMD consequence management, security cooperation and partner activities, and threat reduction cooperation. Capabilities development should address and prioritize the critical capability needs of these eight mission areas. Offensive Operations may include kinetic and/or non-kinetic options (e.g., elements of space and information operations) to deter or defeat a WMD threat or subsequent use of WMD. Elimination Operations are operations systematically to locate, characterize, secure, disable, and/or destroy a State or non-State actor’s WMD programs and related capabilities. Interdiction Operations are designed to stop the proliferation of WMD, delivery systems, associated and dual-use technologies, materials, and expertise from transiting between States of concern and between State and non-State actors, whether undertaken by the military or by other agencies of government (e.g., law enforcement). Active Defense measures include, but are not limited to, missile defense (ballistic and cruise), air defense, special operations, and security operations to defend against conventionally and unconventionally delivered WMD. Passive Defense includes measures to minimize or negate the vulnerability to and minimize effects of WMD use against U.S., partner, and allied Armed Forces as well as U.S. military interests, installations, and critical infrastructure.


Etc., etc., etc.

After you boil out the bullshit, what this says is, we'll bomb, invade or kill whoever we want to, however we want to, whenever we want to, from wherever we want to. Period.

(Thanks to Blake for the link.)

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