Soldiers to defend U.S. borders

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U.S. soldiers will be sent to protect America's borders for a brief amount of time as part of the Bush administration's new homeland defense strategy, the Associated Press reported Feb. 1, citing Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

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Pace said a new military commander will be appointed to oversee the operation and coordinate U.S. military actions with other agencies. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also said during a speech Jan. 31 that the commander would direct the country's air, land and sea defenses.

The establishment of a U.S. military command tasked with homeland defense will lead to a bureaucratic clash between the military and other U.S. agencies involved in domestic security matters. Eager to expand its own budget, the military may try to assume responsibilities for missions already covered by other agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol, which is funded by the Justice Department.

Other agencies likely to clash with the military include the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and possibly even the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The infighting among the various branches of the U.S. security establishment may weaken rather than strengthen domestic security in the short term. An already well-entrenched rivalry could escalate and disrupt cooperation on matters such as intelligence sharing.

In order to overcome the territorial disputes, efforts at integration may occur. Ultimately, the U.S. military may attempt to absorb other security branches.

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