The Defense Department today hammered out the final wrinkles in a new agreement outlining the core functions of each military service and U.S. Special Operations Command, setting the stage for Defense Secretary Robert Gates to send Congress the 2008 Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review report before Christmas, according to Pentagon officials. Service and SOCOM representatives met and resolved their differences over language in what one service official calls a "big update" to the Defense Department directive that sets forth the...