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General Kimmitt Outlines U.S. Strategy Against Terrorism

21 February 2006

Networking, capacity building and smaller forces will win "long war"

By David I. McKeeby
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- While the U.S.-led international military coalition continues to support Iraqi and Afghan efforts to build democratic societies, America also must gear up for the “long war” against terrorism, says Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM).

Terrorism “shows no moderation in its behavior and certainly no moderation in its tactics.  It shows no moderation in its brutality,” Kimmitt told journalists at a February 21 briefing in Washington.

A long war against al-Qaida and similar terrorist groups is a main strategic concept underlying the Quadrennial Defense Review. (See related article.) 

Kimmitt said that groups, such as Ansar-al-Islam in Iraq, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Abu-Sayyaf in the Philippines and others, are not hierarchical, but bound together by a radical, extremist ideology that seeks to push western influences from the region, then eliminate regional authorities that will not conform with their vision of governance and, finally, establish their own repressive regime. 

These groups have organized and manifested their power in “the virtual domain,” Kimmitt said, explaining that they actively use the Internet to advertise, recruit and raise funds. 

Kimmitt also said that they are known to utilize transnational criminal networks and sympathetic nongovernmental organizations to smuggle goods and launder funds.  These groups, the general said, “are networked in a way we are not”.

Kimmitt described CENTCOM’s four key principles to winning the global war against terrorism:

• “It takes a network to defeat a network.”  Kimmitt said that the United States and its allies would build a more capable network to counter terrorists.  Internally, this will take the form of continued extensive coordination among the Department of Defense and the departments of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security, as well as the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies.  Externally, the United States will continue to broaden its alliances and partnerships with other nations.

• “Helping other states to help themselves.”  Kimmitt said the United States would continue to provide military support and training, as well as intelligence support, to help nations build their own capabilities to fight terrorism regionally and within their own countries. 

• “No sanctuaries or safe havens.”  In addition to bolstering regional allies to confront terrorists, Kimmitt said that the U.S. military would continue to “get eyes and ears in areas where terrorists might seek sanctuary.”

• “Reposturing for the long war.” Kimmitt said that unlike in the Cold War, the United States does not want to maintain a large presence in CENTCOM’s region for longer than is absolutely necessary.  Arrayed in an arc from Kenya to Kyrgyzstan, the 27 nations within CENTCOM’s area of operations include Iraq, Afghanistan and several other countries central to the war against terrorism. The general said that a significantly smaller force than the 200,000 currently deployed in the CENTCOM area of operations can provide the right kind of assistance to its allies and will prove a far more effective strategy.  

Kimmitt concluded that, through these principles, America and its allies “will fight as long as it takes to defeat the scourge of al-Qaida and its associated movements.”

“We’ve seen its handiwork since 9/11 and before in places such as Madrid [Spain], Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], Amman [Jordan], Jakarta [Indonesia], Istanbul [Turkey], and of course, New York, London and Washington D.C.,” he said, and reminded the audience that several terrorist organizations publicly have declared their intent to acquire and use chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons against civilians.

For additional information on U.S. policy, see Response to Terrorism.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)