From U.S. Department Of Defense:WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2009 – About 55,000 members of U.S. Special Operations Command are providing humanitarian aid and training soldiers and police in more than 60 countries, according to their commander Navy Adm. Eric Olson.
"They're building long-term relationships in every country in every region in the world, and we need them there for a long time,” Olson said here yesterday at the 20th Annual Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict symposium. “Special operations forces -- especially Army special operations -- do this better than anyone.”
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My Comment: Laying the groundwork for what? It appears everyone is getting ready for a conflict that will last a long time.
Hmmmm .... the "war against terrorism" may be a term that is officially dead .... but the purpose to establish such a network is to fight such threats in the future.