National Security for the 21st Century

<p>The Global War on Terrorism has forced the United States (US) to closely evaluate its role as the post Cold War hegemon. This evaluation has led President Bush in the 2002 National Security Strategy of the United States of America to commit the nation to actively build the internal security capability of our allies. This thesis will assess how aviation Foreign Internal Defense (FID) fits into this US national security goal ultimately addressing the question: Is the USAF Foreign Internal Defense force structure appropriate for the War on Terrorism? This study begins by documenting changes in the international security environment and the effects of the War on Terror on the United State's commitment to FID operations. After laying this foundation the discussion will focus on USAF FID both its history and current force structure. During the Cold War fighting and winning major theater warfare drove the USAF to create a force focused on gaining air superiority destroying enemy armored formations and conducting strategic attack.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>