DoD Responses to Transnational Threats - The Black Vault

Together, these principles form the structure to help position DoD to meet its
responsibilities in dealing with transnational threats of today and the future. Notably, the task
force holds that DoD can respond without a change to national roles and missions and without
change in its own organization. The discussion which follows expands on these six elements.
A Major DoD Mission
Organizing a DoD Response
Examples of the transnational threat are familiar to us all. Events such as the 1983 attack on
the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, and the 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers in
Saudi Arabia are recent cases of significant consequence. The task force believes that the
transnational threat will escalate in the future and be increasingly characterized by planned
campaigns designed to inflict maximum damage and casualties.
US presence, policies, and leadership must remain a major stabilizing force in the world, and
as such, overseas US military operations will continue to be the norm. The Department of
Defense must recognize and deal with an escalating and more dangerous threat environment and
its impact on missions overseas as well as within the United States. While the task force focused
on DoD responsibilities, the national leadership – to include the President – will need to provide
vigorous leadership in preparing for this set of threats.
The increased DoD attention needs to include transnational threats in departmental guidance
and strategy, in the planning and budgeting processes, and in training and exercises. This is not a
new mission for DoD, but the capabilities and motives of these transnational adversaries raise the
challenge to a far higher level.
Existing Structures and Processes
The transnational threat challenge requires a “three-tiered” response: global, regional, and
force level. This response should capitalize on the parallelism between domestic preparedness,
global force protection, force projection, and a major theater war. There is strong synergy
between the demands of each. A robust force protection capability is critical to meet US security
needs and maintain the nation’s ability to project its forces abroad. The requirements,
procedures, and technology for protecting military facilities against attacks by transnational
forces have much in common with protecting civilian facilities in metropolitan areas. Thus, the
United States can leverage DoD capabilities and expertise for both force protection and to
contribute more effectively to civil protection.
Force protection is a major responsibility for the Department of Defense, for its forces at
home and abroad. The Department has taken steps to improve its force protection programs as
the new threat emerged. DoD deserves high marks for these efforts to date, but there is still much
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