Pentagon raises status of 'irregular warfare'

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Pentag...r_12042008.html

12/4/2008

The Pentagon has issued a directive putting the fight against terrorism and guerrilla warfare on the same footing as traditional warfare in terms of military planning and doctrine, officials said Thursday.

The directive was signed December 1 by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, who outlined roles and responsibilities for developing capabilities for fighting non-conventional threats.

"It is DoD policy to recognize that IW (irregular warfare) is as strategically important as traditional warfare," the directive said.

Under the directive, irregular warfare is defined as encompassing counter-terrorism operations, guerrilla warfare, foreign internal defense, counterinsurgency and stability operations.

It instructs the Defense Department to develop capabilities to:

* identify and prevent or defeat irregular threats from state and non-state actors
* extend US reach into denied areas and uncertain environments by operating with and through indigenous foreign forces
* train, advise and assist foreign security forces and partners
* support a foreign government or population threatened by irregular adversaries
* create a safe, secure environment in fragile states.

Pentagon officials acknowledged the US military has been performing these missions for years in Afghanistan and Iraq, but say the directive gives a formal bureaucratic structure to those efforts.

"It codifies roles and responsibilities," said Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman.

The directive follows the release of a US defense strategy in July that places the "Long War" against extremism above potential conventional challenges from China and Russia.

"For the foreseeable future, winning the Long War against violent extremist movements will be the central objective of the US," the defense strategy paper said.