Blizzard War

Leon Panetta, CIA director and defense-secretary nominee, believes the United States is in a “blizzard war,” dealing with threats more complex, more dynamic and more intense than those managed during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning, Panetta outlined his view of global challenges the nation faces:

This is a time of historic change. Unlike the Cold War when we had one main adversary, we face a multitude of challenges. AQ and other global terrorist networks in places like Yemen, Somalia, North Africa . . . [and] Pakistan. Dangerous enemies spread out across the world. We face insurgents and militants who cross borders to conduct attacks. We face the proliferation of of dangerous weapons in the hands of terrorists, in the hands of rogue nations. We face cyber attackers, a whole new arena of warfare than can take place not only now but in the future. It is something we have to pay attention to. We face the challenge of rising and changing powers, nations in turmoil, particularly in the Middle East -- undergoing enormous political transformation. We are no longer in the Cold War. This is more like the blizzard war, a blizzard of challenges that draws speed and intensity from terrorism, from rapidly developing technology, and the rising number of powers on the world stage.