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9
General Purpose Forces
General purpose forces support U.S. national security
policy in peacetime by deterring aggression, by demonstrating
U.S. interests, concern, and commitment, by assisting the forces
of other friendly nations, and by providing a basis to move
rapidly from peace to war. In wartime, these forces would be
employed to achieve our political objectives and to secure
early war termination on terms favorable to the U.S. and allies,
preferably without the use of nuclear weapons. U.S. general
purpose forces must, however, be prepared for both prolonged
conflict and the use of nuclear weapons if required. tst
The U.S. shall maintain a global posture and shall strive
to increase its influence worldwide through the maintenance and
improvement of forward deployed forces and rapidly deployable
U.S.-based forces, together with periodic exercises, security
assistance, and special operations. U.S. general purpose forces
must provide the flexibility to deal quickly, decisively and
discriminately with low-level conflict contingencies requiring
U.S. military involvement. The U.S. will further enhance its
capabilities for global mobility, including appropriate
protection and support for points of embarkation and debarkation.
The United States will continue to improve its conventional
warfare capabilities and to improve its ability to deter chemical
attack through the production of binary chemical munitions. let
Resource Priorities
In order to reduce the risk that we may not be able to
execute wartime strategy, the U.S. must undertake a sustained and
balanced force development program. This program must complement
our diplomatic, economic, and security assistance strategies, and
should be guided by periodic net assessments of U.S. and Soviet
nuclear and conventional capabilities. We must consider the
capabilities for which there would be immediate, high-level, and
sustained demand in the event of general war; capabilities which
cannot be provided by allies, and which cannot be mobilized or
produced within a short period of time. We must consider our own
capability for technological innovation, which represents one of
our most significant military advantages vis-a-vis the Soviets,
and consider how most effectively to exploit it to affect the
military balance in ways that are favorable to the U.S. At the
same time, we must balance expenditures among the vital needs of
readiness, sustainability, modernization and force expansion.
The relative priority of these four pillars is not the same in
all mission areas. 1st
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"ocrText": "TOP SECRET\n9\nGeneral Purpose Forces\nGeneral purpose forces support U.S. national security\npolicy in peacetime by deterring aggression, by demonstrating\nU.S. interests, concern, and commitment, by assisting the forces\nof other friendly nations, and by providing a basis to move\nrapidly from peace to war. In wartime, these forces would be\nemployed to achieve our political objectives and to secure\nearly war termination on terms favorable to the U.S. and allies,\npreferably without the use of nuclear weapons. U.S. general\npurpose forces must, however, be prepared for both prolonged\nconflict and the use of nuclear weapons if required. tst\nThe U.S. shall maintain a global posture and shall strive\nto increase its influence worldwide through the maintenance and\nimprovement of forward deployed forces and rapidly deployable\nU.S.-based forces, together with periodic exercises, security\nassistance, and special operations. U.S. general purpose forces\nmust provide the flexibility to deal quickly, decisively and\ndiscriminately with low-level conflict contingencies requiring\nU.S. military involvement. The U.S. will further enhance its\ncapabilities for global mobility, including appropriate\nprotection and support for points of embarkation and debarkation.\nThe United States will continue to improve its conventional\nwarfare capabilities and to improve its ability to deter chemical\nattack through the production of binary chemical munitions. let\nResource Priorities\nIn order to reduce the risk that we may not be able to\nexecute wartime strategy, the U.S. must undertake a sustained and\nbalanced force development program. This program must complement\nour diplomatic, economic, and security assistance strategies, and\nshould be guided by periodic net assessments of U.S. and Soviet\nnuclear and conventional capabilities. We must consider the\ncapabilities for which there would be immediate, high-level, and\nsustained demand in the event of general war; capabilities which\ncannot be provided by allies, and which cannot be mobilized or\nproduced within a short period of time. We must consider our own\ncapability for technological innovation, which represents one of\nour most significant military advantages vis-a-vis the Soviets,\nand consider how most effectively to exploit it to affect the\nmilitary balance in ways that are favorable to the U.S. At the\nsame time, we must balance expenditures among the vital needs of\nreadiness, sustainability, modernization and force expansion.\nThe relative priority of these four pillars is not the same in\nall mission areas. 1st\n1\nTOP SECRET"
}