Pentagon Announces Official Start of FY-10 QDR, NPR
April 23, 2009 -- The Defense Department today formally launched a pair of sweeping reviews that will form the basis for a new Pentagon investment blueprint and the main vehicles Defense Secretary Robert Gates will use to "rebalance" U.S. military capabilities to better handle not only major conventional wars but also improve the ability to wage irregular operations.
Senior Defense Department officials announced the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review and Nuclear Posture Review are now being conducted after a nearly two-month delay caused by the revision of the fiscal year 2010 budget.
“The purpose of the QDR is to assess the threats and challenges the nation faces, and then integrate strategies, resources, forces, and capabilities necessary to prevent conflict or conclude it on terms that are favorable to the nation now and in the future," Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement.
Bill Lynn, the deputy defense secretary, said in a statement today that the QDR “takes a long-term, strategic view of the Department of Defense and will explore ways to balance achieving success in current conflicts with preparing for long-term challenges. The review will also look at ways to institutionalize irregular-warfare capabilities while maintaining the United States' existing strategic and technological edge in conventional warfare."
In a statement, the Pentagon said it plans to consult with other government agencies as part of a “whole-of-government” approach to national security, and will also consult with key allies and partners.
“The 2010 QDR will address emerging challenges and explore ways to improve the balance of efforts and resources between trying to prevail in current conflicts and preparing for future contingencies, while also institutionalizing capabilities such as counterinsurgency and foreign military assistance,” according to the Pentagon statement.
The Nuclear Posture Review will be conducted in tandem in collaboration with the Energy and State departments; the purpose of this assessment is to “establish U.S. nuclear deterrence policy, strategy, and posture for the next five to 10 years and to provide a basis for the negotiation of a follow-on agreement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START),” according to the statement.
Both assessments are required by Congress. Previous QDRs were conducted in 1997, 2001 and 2005; NPRs have been conducted in 1994 and 2002. -- Jason Sherman
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