WASHINGTON — As traditional military operations are cut back, the Pentagon is moving to expand the worldwide reach of the U.S. Special Operations Command to strike back wherever threats arise.
U.S. officials say the Pentagon and the White House have embraced a proposal by special-operations chief Adm. Bill McRaven to push troops that are withdrawing from war zones to reinforce special-operations units in areas somewhat neglected during the decade-long focus on al-Qaeda.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta shared few details in the new Pentagon budget he outlined Thursday, but officials explained the nascent plan in greater detail to The Associated Press.
McRaven started working last fall to sell defense leaders on a plan to beef up his existing “Theater Special Operations Commands,” as they are known, to reposition staff and equipment for the post-Iraq and Afghan war era.
The stepped-up global network would put top special-operations personnel closer to the problems they face, better able to launch unilateral raids such as the one that killed Osama bin Laden — and the one Tuesday that rescued an American hostage and her Danish colleague.
That headline served to drive home President Barack Obama’s national security achievements in his first term, just as his State of the Union speech Tuesday unofficially launched his campaign for a second term.
The expanded presence means troops would be better able to partner with foreign armies for joint operations, according to a senior defense official who spoke to AP and to other current and former U.S. officials briefed on the program.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the proposal and timing of implementation are still being worked out.
The idea tracks with the White House goal to transform the U.S. military into a smaller, more agile force, able to respond to a wide variety of threats beyond traditional military enemies, often in partnership with local allies.
