2: Security Threats and Global Interdependence

Provide Timely, Quality Service to the Congress and the Federal Government to Respond to Changing Security Threats and the Challenges of Global Interdependence

Other Information:

Our second strategic goal is to help the Congress and the federal government respond to changing security threats and the challenges of global interdependence. Our specific objectives are to support congressional and federal efforts to protect and secure the homeland from threats and disasters, ensure military capabilities and readiness, advance and protect U.S. international interests, and respond to the impact of global market forces on U.S. economic and security interests. Responding to emerging threats to security has become increasingly challenging. The threats to national and international security and the means of attack have changed significantly in the post-Cold War era and even more since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Today, there is a greater likelihood of irregular threats, those more likely to involve dispersed, global terrorist networks. Adversaries are more likely to strike vulnerable civilian or military targets at home and overseas in nontraditional ways to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. military forces or their allies on the battlefield. Responding to today’s threats requires new rules and new roles for all levels of government, best represented by the federal government’s structural changes associated with creation of DHS and realignment of intelligence activities. Recent U.S. experience in dealing with natural disasters at home also gives new importance to the need for more effective planning, coordination, and response mechanisms at the federal, state, and local government levels for responding to catastrophic events. To ensure military capabilities and readiness against a broader array of security challenges than those faced in the past, transformation of U.S. forces is required. The transformation will require significant trade-offs in defense funding priorities in the future to meet pressing defense needs amid growing competition for resources across the government and the need to deal with growing fiscal imbalances and deficits. Moreover, the United States faces the challenge of transforming its military capabilities to maintain its technological edge while executing a global war on terrorism, recognizing that military power alone cannot respond to today’s new threats. Advancing and protecting U.S. international interests and responding to the impact of global market forces on U.S. economic and security interests has become more difficult as the world grows increasingly interconnected. The United States is facing increasing challenges and threats to its security and economy from sources that range from terrorism to regional conflicts to instability sparked by adverse economic conditions, corruption, ethnic hatred, nationalism, and disease. In today’s environment, advancing and protecting U.S. international interests has required interventions abroad to address terrorism at its roots or other interventions to make or keep the peace. Globalization of markets and rapidly developing technology have created new opportunities for the nation as a whole and for American producers and consumers. In response, the federal government works to promote foreign policy goals, sound trade policies, and other strategies to advance the interests of the United States and those of U.S. trading partners and allies in every corner of the world.

Stakeholder(s):

• Congress: United States Senate and House of Representatives


• Federal Government: Executive Branch Agencies

Objective(s):

2.1: Threats and Disasters

2.2: Military Capabilities

2.3: International Interests

2.4: Global Market

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