Pentagon Boosts Commando Role in Hunting Terrorist Weapons

The U.S. Defense Department is increasing funding and expanding the role of elite commando units assigned to detect and neutralize weapons of mass destruction, according to budget documents and an official.

The Pentagon proposes spending about $579 million in its fiscal 2012-2016 plan on commando “counter-terrorism technologies” to “detect, disable, interdict, neutralize and destroy chemical, biological and nuclear production, storage and weaponization facilities,” according to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.