"We may have to move forces from one state to another state if one state is hit harder than the others," said Marine General Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"But there are sufficient forces inside the US military to handle both international and domestic crises," he said at a Pentagon news conference.

Hurricane Isabel was expected to strike the US East Coast later this week.

States traditionally turn to their national guards and reserves for help during natural disasters, but many units have been activated to support US military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

As of September 10, more than 174,400 members of the national guard and reserves were on active duty.

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld noted that there were 886,000 troops in the guard and reserves, and that a brigade had just returned from fighting wildfires in Montana.

"We don't know what the problem will be, the hurricane has not hit," he said. "We have thus far been able to provide the kind of assistance for domestic crisis that was needed."

TERRA.WIRE