Responding to Terrorism:
What Military Options Does The President Have?"

 
What Can Be On The Target List?

The United States has vowed that it would hold accountable any country offering support to terrorists involved in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. However, it will take some time to find the proper targets and put forces in place. Lessons learned in 1998 (bombing a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan and an empty military camp in Afghanistan) dictate a focused, deliberate and lethal campaign to ensure that the correct targets are identified. The United States will strive to act immediately once those responsible are known.

This does not necessarily mean only arresting or striking at the people directly involved in the attacks in New York and Washington specifically, but could include attacking militant training camps and havens in various countries known to host such facilities. It also could involve attacking governments that support known terrorists, including leadership and military targets. The initial response could be massive, followed by a sustained effort lasting years to attack terrorist organizations and the governments that aid and shelter them.

Intelligence remains a critical factor in contingency planning. The United States will have to leverage the human intelligence (HUMINT) networks of allies to ensure the most accurate information is available. The German, British, French and Israeli secret services view Osama bin Laden as the prime suspect behind the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Washington therefore will likely continue, for now, to focus attention on the sub-national terrorist groups based in the Middle East and Central and South Aisa, especially the Taliban in Afghanistan.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), in Tampa, Fla., headed by Gen. Tommy R. Franks, USA, is in charge of military operations in the Middle East, and South and Central Asia. He would direct all strike and special operations in an Afghanistan scenerio. Currently the Crisis Action Team — which consists of operational planners, intelligence targeteers, CENTCOM's anti-terrorist cell and joint special operations strike experts from all four services — are looking at a long list of standing contingency operations and matching those plans with the new intelligence data coming in.

U.S. European Command, (USCINCEUR), in Mons, Belgium, headed by Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, USAF, is looking at its resources and best options to forward deploy strike-fighters and special forces near the Middle East as part of his contingency plans.

 
The following is a non-inclusive list of countries that are designated by the U.S. State Department as harboring Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

Afghanistan. Ruled by the radical Islamic Taliban, Afghanistan has harbored Saudi-born dissident bin Laden for years. Bin Laden is believed to live amid tight security near the Taliban's spiritual capital in the southern Afghan town of Kandahar or in the eastern town of Jalalabad. The prime suspect in the spate of terrorist attacks against the United States is Osama bin-Laden's organization, al Qaeda. Bin Laden himself has repeatedly threatened acts of terrorism against the United States, and al Qaeda was pinpointed in the attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Those bombings, like the attacks in New York City and Washington, were well coordinated and timed closely together.

Iraq. Another strong suspect, Iraq also has reasons to want to strike a blow at the United States. The country, which is still suffering from U.N. sanctions originally imposed by the United Nations in August 1990, immediately following Iraq's invasion, occupation and annexation of Kuwait, would benefit significantly from a U.S. decision to redirect its focus on homeland defense and reduce its commitments abroad.

Libya. A chief supporter of international terrorism in the past, Libya is trying to regain global trust. Coalition forces bombed Tripoli in 1986, and Quadaffi has maintained somewhat of a low profile over the recent years in relation to terrorist support.

Syria.Damascus currently has no desire to bring the U.S. and Israel closer together or to deliberately assault America.

Pakistan. Islamabad does not have any strong reason to risk U.S. retaliation or its already shaky position in the international system. There are several radical Islamic groups operating in the country, but few if any, would have the capability to facilitate such an attack.

Sudan. Implicated in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, Sudan has attempted rapprochement with the United States while curbing fundamentalist Islamic activity in the country. Sudan is watched very closely, in that bin Laden had lived in Sudan as a guest of the government prior to fleeing to Afghanistan.

 
What Military Options And Responses Are Immediately Available?

The Pentagon already has been directed to draw up a menu of military options for retaliation. These will range from small-scale covert actions, such as specifically targeting the perpetrators of the recent terrorist attack, to a broad campaign of bombing selected terrorist sites, such as training camps. The Pentagon is looking at every conceivable contingency, to include the possibility of sending ground troops or special forces into the field. A vast variety of anti-terrorist contingency plans already exist. Unified commands, deployed special forces, carrier battle groups and forces on alert have these plans. They would be tailored to the latest intelligence inputs and be continuously updated or revised as necessary. The command and control system in place will ensure that the latest target lists are in the hands of those that would execute operations. Cruise Missile Support Agencies as well will update mission profiles of Tomahawk missiles, and send these missions as necessary to the ships and submarines in theater. A substantial data bank already exists throughout the world for Tomahawk targets.

U.S. strategic assets are capable, for example, of striking selected targets in Afghanistan. If terrorist groups in that country are identified as the perpetrators of the recent attacks in New York and Washington, their location, training camps, designated safe havens, operations facilities, or residences of leadership would all be considered as likely targets.

A multi-pronged, coordinated wave of strikes could combine 80 carrier-based aircraft from USS Enterprise and USS Vinson with five sections of two long-range B-2 Air Force bombers from Whiteman AFB in Missouri, and any number of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Rights to over-fly Pakistan are presumed to not be an issue. In-flight tanker aircraft would be available to refuel all strike aircraft inbound and outbound to their targets. It is noteworthy that the weapon load-out inventory aboard the carriers amounts to four times as many precision "smart" weapons as those available to the air wings in Operation Desert Storm. The Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM) target assignment for any Middle East contingency would most likely be the more accurate Block III versions, which can be launched from more 1,000 miles away. They use the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation system and improved Digital Scene and Contour Matching Systems to pin-point their impact points. Reliability of these missiles is above 85 percent with an advertised capability to hit a target within 20 feet.

Special Forces contingency operations would involve a variety of insertion options, ranging from Chinook or Blackhawk helicopters to parachute drops from a variety of aircraft platforms. The U.S. Air Force would be the primary means of transporting these forces.

Forces that could be used in an Afghanistan operation include:

 
Naval Forces

 
The Enterprise Battle Group

Headed by the nuclear carrier USS Enterprise and fourteen other ships (forward deployed in the Indian Ocean — scheduled return to homeport in Norfolk, Virg., delayed. Standing by for contingency operations).

Carrier Air Wing Eight — 68 aircraft.

Precision Strike — 2 F-14A and 2 F-18C aircraft squadrons.

Cruise Missile Platforms — Los Angeles-class submarines, 2 Ticonderoga-class cruisers, 3 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and 2 Spruance-class destroyers; with the capacity to launch roughly 500 conventional Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.

 
The Carl Vinson Battle Group

Headed by the Nimitz-class nuclear carrier USS Carl Vinson and eight other ships (just reported for operations in the Arabian Gulf — standing by for contingency operations).

Carrier Air Wing Eleven — 70 aircraft.

Precision Strike — 1 F-14D and 3 F-18C aircraft squadrons.

Cruise Missiles Platforms — 1 Los Angeles-class submarine, 2 Ticonderoga-class cruisers, 2 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers; with the capacity to launch roughly 400 conventional Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.

U.S. East Coast — USS John F. Kennedy battle group and USS George Washington battle group.

U.S. West Coast — USS John C. Stennis battle group and USS Constellation battle group.

 
Air Forces

 
B-2 Spirit. The 509th Bomb Wing based out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., has 16 aircraft on standby that can fly to any target assigned. Its un-refueled range is approximately 6,000 nautical miles. The B-2 first flew in combat on a 31-hour non-stop flight to Kosovo and back in the first day of the war, March 24, 1999, launching 16 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) GPS guided bombs per aircraft. Strikes likely would come from Whiteman AFB, or aircraft could be forward deployed to launch from the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia or other bases as agreed upon by supporting countries.

B-52 Stratofortress. There are three bomber wings with a total of 13 bomb squadrons and 85 aircraft in the active force. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, the B-52H has been modified to carry eight conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM). The B-52 was used extensively throughout Desert Storm and Kosovo operations. It has an un-refueled range of 8,800 miles, and could stage out of Diego Garcia, or other forward deployed bases as agreed upon by supporting countries.

 
Special Forces: 35,000 troops

Trained to conduct unconventional warfare in any of its forms — guerrilla warfare, evasion and escape, subversion, amphibious operations, and sabotage. They consist primarily of Navy SEAL Team Six, U.S. Army secret Delta Force, and Air Force Special Operations RECON and insertion units. They are trained in all aspects of counter-terrorism, and are said to be the world's best specialists in CQB (Close Quarters Battle) involving urban warfare and hand-to-hand combat. They already have well-rehearsed plans for counter-terrorism operations. If insertion of troops into Afghanistan is executed, these special forces would be the first choice.

These forces already have been recalled to a war-footing, and could be conducting operations already. A mission possibly underway could be an attempt to the capture and incarcerate known terrorists who could be brought back to the United States.

The XVIII Airborne Corps, headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C., is comprised of four divisions: the 82nd Airborne, the 101st Airborne, the 3rd Infantry Division and the 10th (Mountain) Division. Of those units, the 82nd Airborne, which specializes in capturing airfields and other swift assault missions, has one batallion at the highest level of readiness, and is now ready to begin deploying overseas.

Special Forces will also play a critical role in any long-term covert war to annihilate certified terrorists.

Deployed Forces

In addition, U.S. forces now in the Mediterranean region have seven Tomahawk guided missile cruisers/destroyers in theater. More than 100 hundred precision strike fighter-bomber aircraft are forward deployed in bases in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

The USS Cowpens, a Ticonderoga Class cruiser home ported in Yokosuka, Japan, got underway Sunday (9/16/01) to probably join the battle groups in the Indian Ocean. It is another Tomahawk capable weapons platform.

The Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron One (more than 3,000 Marines and Sailors) have just gone through a full rehearsal of helicopter and ship-to-shore landings off East Timor in preparation of such a contingency operation.

By Rear Adm. (Ret.) Stephen H. Baker, USN
CDI Senior Fellow
sbaker@cdi.org

 
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Q & A with
Rear Adm. (Ret.) Stephen H. Baker, USN, Senior Fellow, CDI:

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