The White House released its 2015 National Security Strategy on Friday, and though National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the strategy is meant to “strengthen the foundations of America’s power–political, economic and military,” her speech unveiling the paper focused decidedly on the first two.
Rice cautioned against “alarmism” when talking about the threats the country faces, saying that while the United States was still dealing with the fallout of Arab uprisings, Russian aggression, cyber attacks and ever-evolving terrorist threats, “too often what’s missing here in Washington is a sense of perspective. Yes there is a lot going on; still, while the dangers we face may be more numerous and varied, they are not of the existential nature we confronted during World War II or during the Cold War.”
She said the Obama administration’s new national security strategy would help the country not just respond to current crises but help “stake out a much larger role for America in shaping the world while anticipating the challenges to come.”
Rice said this approach invests in the foundation of American strength–education, healthcare, research and development and other needs at home–and renews old alliances and builds new partnerships abroad to bring stability to the world without requiring American boots on the ground.
The strategy focuses on four tenets: security, prosperity, values and international order.
The security section discusses how to invest limited resources for the military to remain a dominant global force. “As we modernize, we will apply the lessons of past drawdowns. Although our military will be smaller, it must remain dominant in every domain. With the Congress, we must end sequestration and enact critical reforms to build a versatile and responsive force prepared for a more diverse set of contingencies. We will protect our investment in foundational capabilities like the nuclear deterrent, and we will grow our investment in crucial capabilities like cyber; space; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. We will safeguard our science and technology base to keep our edge in the capabilities needed to prevail against any adversary. Above all, we will take care of our people. We will recruit and retain the best talent while developing leaders committed to an ethical and expert profession of arms.”
On the homeland security front, the strategy notes, “We are better able to guard against terrorism–the core responsibility of homeland security—as well as illicit networks and other threats and hazards due to improved information sharing, aviation and border security, and international cooperation. We have emphasized community-based efforts and local law enforcement programs to counter homegrown violent extremism and protect vulnerable individuals from extremist ideologies that could lead them to join conflicts overseas or carry out attacks here at home. Through risk-based approaches, we have countered terrorism and transnational organized crime in ways that enhance commerce, travel, and tourism and, most fundamentally, preserve our civil liberties. We are more responsive and resilient when prevention fails or disaster strikes as witnessed with the Boston Marathon bombings and Hurricane Sandy.”
The section, however, goes on to advocate partnering with fragile nations to promote good governance and prevent conflict, as well as confronting climate change and health issues to allow for global security.
The 2015 National Security Strategy then discusses boosting the American economy and using that strength to then support global economies; advancing equality for all groups of people in the United States so as to have a moral standing to demand equality abroad; empowering young people and civil organizations; and seeking stability through new partnerships and deeper economic ties.
The Defense and State departments embraced the strategy, with Secretary of State John Kerry saying, “it’s ambitious and achievable. It’s a pragmatic, clear-eyed assessment of both the challenges we face and the full arsenal of our power to confront them through moral, diplomatic, economic, development, and military tools.”
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that “the strategy wisely calls for drawing on all the sources of our national power–including the unrivaled strength and resilience of America’s economy, diplomacy, and military, as well as our values–to strengthen and sustain America’s global leadership. As the strategy makes clear, a strong military is the bedrock of our national security, and the Department of Defense stands ready to help execute the president’s strategy. DoD leaders actively participated in the development of the NSS, which complements the defense strategy articulated by the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review.”
But Senate Armed Services Committee member and former ranking member Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) criticized the report for being out of touch with reality.
“The reality is we live in a world where the threats to our security have grown exponentially over the last six years. During this period of time, our U.S. military has been systematically dismantled and the lack of U.S. leadership and presence has created a vacuum around the world. The president’s strategy promotes a continued pivot to rebalance Asia and the Pacific, but yet there are no resources available given the instability in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The president promotes nuclear zero with a willingness to unilaterally disarm America while watching Iran and North Korean develop their nuclear capabilities. We cannot advance the security of the United States by simply maintaining our military in its current state. Military readiness is at the lowest levels seen since Vietnam and its size has been reduced to the levels of pre-WWII. We need a National Security Strategy that is driven by the threats we face today, and we need to stand with our allies and partners against the tyrants and terrorists who threaten our shared security,” he said in a statement.