Strategic Shift

The Obama administration's decision last year to refocus strategic efforts to the Pacific Rim could "significantly affect" U.S. special operations forces, according to a new Congressional Research Service report.

"USSOCOM leadership continues to pursue additional authorities that would enable it to control the movement of SOF units deployed to a theater of operations as well as give additional authorities to Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs), which are allocated to each geographic combatant command," the Jan. 3 CRS report notes, adding: "Another possible issue for congressional consideration is the balance between direct and indirect special operations activities in world-wide counterterrorism operations."

View the report -- originally obtained by Secrecy News.

. . . And check out a couple more Jan. 3 CRS reports:

CRS Report On 'Army Drawdown and Restructuring'

CRS Report On The Unified Command Plan And COCOMs