Budget Highlights Book - DON FM&C Website - U.S. Navy

February 2012The Continuing Challenge in the Middle East Security EnvironmentSECTION II – THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE INTHE MIDDLE EAST SECURITY ENVIRONMENTOVERVIEWThe Navy and Marine Corps are agile andflexible expeditionary forces engaged in afull range of operations around the world.Today over 27,000 Marines, 47,000 Navypersonnel and 135 ships are underway ordeployed worldwide creating a safer, morestable, and more prosperous world for theAmerican people, our allies, and our partners. The Department’s global securityeffort maintains a balance of presence between the Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastregions. Additionally with some of our more stalwart allies, Europe will remain ourprincipal partner in seeking global and economic security for the foreseeable future.Building partnerships elsewhere is also important to protect freedom of accessthroughout the global commons. Through partnerships with a growing number ofnations, including those in Africa and Latin America, we will strive for a commonvision of freedom, stability, and prosperity.This focused balance of global efforts using innovative, lower cost and smaller footprintapproaches with our partners and allies is thanks to the extraordinary serviceand sacrifice of Sailors and Marines. Through their efforts, we have responsiblyended the war in Iraq, put al-Qa’ida on the path to defeat, and have made significantprogress in Afghanistan, allowing us to begin the transition of forces out ofAfghanistan. As a nation still at war, we continue to impose local sea control, sustainpower ashore and represent a major strategic role in the Persian Gulf, Horn of Africaand Afghanistan by providing critical force protection requirements, training,equipment, and assistance to our coalition partners. Al-Qa’ida and its affiliatesremain active in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and elsewhere. Sinceviolent extremists continue to threaten U.S. interests, allies, and partners, the U.S.will continue to take an active approach to counter these threats. To deal with thesechallenges, we will be agile, flexible and ready to assume new missions—today andtomorrow. To ensure our continuing success, the Department is adequatelyresourced to fully achieve the mission goals and objectives of the Commander-in-Chief. To integrate requirements for today’s warfighters and provide a sustainableFY 2013 Department of the Navy Budget 2-1