EvanL
03-26-2004, 08:18 PM
'North American NATO' under discussion
NORAD could evolve into deeper alliance, says U.S. military leader
CALGARY (CP) - A North American version of NATO is being studied as the United States and Canada shore up defences against future terrorism attacks, the deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command said today.
"Should NORAD adapt once again just as it has done over its history of the last 46 years, just as it did on 9-11?," said Lt.-Gen. Ed Anderson to a gathering of military leaders and academics at a conference on homeland defence and land force reserves.
"Should we take NORAD and adapt some sort of a NATO-like organization? In other words more than just bi-national if we're going to talk continental security," he said.
NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defence Command, provides warning of ballistic missile and aircraft attacks against the United States and Canada, tracks space satellites and debris for the space shuttle missions.
Expanding to include support for maritime, ground and civilian operations makes sense, said Anderson.
"We are at a point when we need to address the future.
"The threat to both of our homelands is real. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind that there is an intent to attack free democracy ... and I will tell you they are working on weapons of mass destruction as their first choice," he said.
"We know that they want to target our homeland again. They want a bigger 9-11."
Any initial move to a NATO-like model would only involve Canada and the U.S but could eventually include Mexico, said Anderson.
"Discussions between our two militaries (U.S. and Mexico) have just not gone to anything on continental security and they've got some sovereignty concerns."
The status quo on homeland security is working right now but will need to be upgraded, said David Bercuson with the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute at the University of Calgary.
"I think a North American NATO is virtually inevitable. What we've got in place right now, the Bi-National Planning Group, is just that - a planning group," said Bercuson.
The three-day conference has attracted delegates from Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia. It has focused on the best way to structure, train and deploy land force reserves for homeland defence.
The U.S. Northern Command is looking at having designated reserve units located in all 50 American states with their only responsibility being part of a homeland defence force, said Anderson.
"There is still a need for a strategic reserve for our military for deployment overseas, but there may be a need now for homeland defence forces given the change in strategic environment," said Anderson.
A homeland defence force would also shorten the chain of command, since National Guard units and their resources are under the control of state governors.
"We just feel the nature of the threat is such that we have to have dedicated forces," said Anderson who said a homeland force would be made up of infantry soldiers.
"We want to have the forces that we know are ready to go and trained and equipped and organized.
"We don't want to wait for another 9-11 to be the catalyst to make some of these things happen."
NORAD could evolve into deeper alliance, says U.S. military leader
CALGARY (CP) - A North American version of NATO is being studied as the United States and Canada shore up defences against future terrorism attacks, the deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command said today.
"Should NORAD adapt once again just as it has done over its history of the last 46 years, just as it did on 9-11?," said Lt.-Gen. Ed Anderson to a gathering of military leaders and academics at a conference on homeland defence and land force reserves.
"Should we take NORAD and adapt some sort of a NATO-like organization? In other words more than just bi-national if we're going to talk continental security," he said.
NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defence Command, provides warning of ballistic missile and aircraft attacks against the United States and Canada, tracks space satellites and debris for the space shuttle missions.
Expanding to include support for maritime, ground and civilian operations makes sense, said Anderson.
"We are at a point when we need to address the future.
"The threat to both of our homelands is real. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind that there is an intent to attack free democracy ... and I will tell you they are working on weapons of mass destruction as their first choice," he said.
"We know that they want to target our homeland again. They want a bigger 9-11."
Any initial move to a NATO-like model would only involve Canada and the U.S but could eventually include Mexico, said Anderson.
"Discussions between our two militaries (U.S. and Mexico) have just not gone to anything on continental security and they've got some sovereignty concerns."
The status quo on homeland security is working right now but will need to be upgraded, said David Bercuson with the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute at the University of Calgary.
"I think a North American NATO is virtually inevitable. What we've got in place right now, the Bi-National Planning Group, is just that - a planning group," said Bercuson.
The three-day conference has attracted delegates from Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia. It has focused on the best way to structure, train and deploy land force reserves for homeland defence.
The U.S. Northern Command is looking at having designated reserve units located in all 50 American states with their only responsibility being part of a homeland defence force, said Anderson.
"There is still a need for a strategic reserve for our military for deployment overseas, but there may be a need now for homeland defence forces given the change in strategic environment," said Anderson.
A homeland defence force would also shorten the chain of command, since National Guard units and their resources are under the control of state governors.
"We just feel the nature of the threat is such that we have to have dedicated forces," said Anderson who said a homeland force would be made up of infantry soldiers.
"We want to have the forces that we know are ready to go and trained and equipped and organized.
"We don't want to wait for another 9-11 to be the catalyst to make some of these things happen."