Reply #6: Defense Dept. Seeks More Aid Capability [View All]

[Judi Lynn]

Defense Dept. Seeks More Aid Capability

By Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 29, 2005; Page A18

Now that episode is frequently cited by Pentagon officials still trying to dispatch military assistance to other countries more quickly and more extensively. Having repeatedly stressed the need to build "partnership capacity" in Africa and other underdeveloped regions as a bulwark against international terrorism, defense officials complain of a lack of legislation and a dearth of resources to carry out the mission.

To address the problem, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is pressing Congress to grant the Pentagon new authority -- and contingency funds totaling $750 million -- to bolster counterterrorism, border security and law enforcement forces in other nations.

But the proposal has run into resistance from lawmakers worried about vesting such military assistance powers in the Pentagon rather than in the State Department, where they have traditionally resided. The argument for keeping such authority with State, advocates say, is that it ensures the military programs remain in step with U.S. foreign policy.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/28/AR2005102801971.html