1: Homeland Defense
Defend the Homeland Other Information:
The core responsibility of the Department of Defense is to defend the United States from attack upon its territory at home
and to secure its interests abroad. The U.S. Armed Forces protect the physical integrity of the country through an active
layered defense. They also deter attacks upon it, directly and indirectly, through deployments at sea, in the air, on land,
and in space. However, as the spreading web of globalization presents new opportunities and challenges, the importance of
planning to protect the homeland against previously unexpected threats increases. Meeting these challenges also creates a
tension between the need for security and the requirements of openness in commerce and civil liberties. On the one hand, the
flow of goods, services, people, technology and information grows every year, andwith it the openness of American society.
On the other hand, terrorists and otherswishing us harm seek to exploit that openness.As noted in the 2006 QDR, state actors
no longer have a monopoly over thecatastrophic use of violence. Small groups or individuals can harness chemical,biological,
or even crude radiological or nuclear devices to cause extensivedamage and harm. Similarly, they can attack vulnerable points
in cyberspace and disrupt commerce and daily life in the United States, causing economic damage,compromising sensitive information
and materials, and interrupting critical services such as power and information networks. National security and domestic resources
may be at risk, and the Department must help respond to protect lives and national assets. The Department will continue to
be both bulwark and active protector in these areas. Yet, in the long run the Department of Defense is neither the best source
of resources and capabilities nor the appropriate authority to shoulder these tasks. The comparative advantage, and applicable
authorities, for action reside elsewhere in the U.S. Government, at other levels of government, in the private sector, and
with partner nations. DoD should expect and plan to play akey supporting role in an interagency effort to combat these threats,
and to helpdevelop new capacities and capabilities, while protecting its own vulnerabilities. While defending the homeland
in depth, the Department must also maintain the capacity to support civil authorities in times of national emergency such
as in the wake of catastrophic natural and man-made disasters. The Department will continue to maintain consequence management
capabilities and plan for their use to support government agencies. Effective execution of such assistance, especially amid
simultaneous, multi-jurisdictional disasters, requires ever-closer working relationships with other departments and agencies,
and at all levels of government. To help develop and cultivate these working relationships, the Department willcontinue to
support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for coordinating the Federal response to disasters.
DoD must also reach out to non-governmental agencies and private sector entities that play a role in disaster response and
recovery.
Objective(s):
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