American military superiority will fade without bold national action

The National Defense Strategy Commission, a bipartisan panel mandated by Congress to evaluate our defense, recently issued its final report. It concluded that due to an erosion of American military superiority, “The security and well being of the United States are at greater risk than at any time in decades.” The report warned, “If the nation does not act promptly to remedy these circumstances, the consequences will be grave and lasting.” In other words, this crisis requires urgent action in Washington.

Ever since 9/11 and until more recently, the Defense Department has not received the timely or sufficient funding required to support operations, maintain readiness, and modernize American forces. As a result, the Pentagon has consistently been forced to postpone modernization to prioritize the preparedness of units immediately scheduled to deploy.

Meanwhile, China and Russia have worked to modernize their nuclear and conventional forces and expanded their capabilities. They now operate against us and our allies in increasingly contested domains such as space and cyber territories. They employ asymmetrical forms of economic, informational, and legal warfare to deplete American strength. Their goal is to exploit perceived American vulnerabilities. They ultimately seek to undermine the international order led by the United States that restrains aggressors while encouraging both political and economic freedom.

Washington has struggled to mount an effective response. American military superiority has deteriorated or vanished in significant defense capabilities, and the balance of power in strategic locations such as Eastern Europe and the Western Pacific has shifted to the benefit of our rivals and adversaries, thereby increasing the possibility of conflict.

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/427175-american-military-superiority-will-fade-without-bold-national-action