Key Points Of Trump's Nat'l Security Strategy
President Donald Trump's new national security strategy seeks to refocus the United States' relationship with China, Russia and the rest of the world, transforming his "America First" mantra into a set of policies and plans for protecting the homeland and advancing its economy. The following items were outlined in his administration's strategic document released on Monday:
COMBATING CHINA
The strategy deems China, like Russia, to be a "revisionist" power, determined to reshape the world according to its own ideals. "Chinese dominance risks diminishing the sovereignty of many states" in its region and beyond, it says. The strategy calls for stronger traditional alliances and new partnerships in Asia amid a "geopolitical competition between free and repressive visions of world order."
COUNTERING RUSSIA
The strategy is harsher on Russia than the president has been in public comments. It says Russia uses "subversive measures" to weaken America's credibility and European governments, specifically calling out Moscow for "its invasions of Georgia and Ukraine." The document doesn't specifically mention Russian meddling in last year's US presidential election.
BUDDING INDIA ALLIANCE
The strategy promotes a deeper partnership with India. Pakistan, on the other hand, must crack down on "transnational terrorists" operating from its soil, it says. But the document offers Pakistan the carrot of greater trade and investment ties if it helps on counterterrorism. The regional approach could be part of the broader effort to counter China, which is investing billions in Pakistan.
FIGHTING GLOBAL THREATS
Trump says the US must re-establish control of its borders to block "jihadist terrorists" and international criminal groups, familiar themes from his campaign and first 11 months in the White House. North Korea and Iran are singled out as the leading threats to US security, followed by what Trump used to call "radical Islamic terrorist" organizations like the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda. The strategy emphasizes cyberthreats and says the administration will assess such risks to security, energy, banking and transportation.
BIGGER, BETTER MILITARY
Trump's strategy calls for increased defense spending to use the military as a force for peace. It includes familiar calls for the government to work more efficiently with industry to buy and build better, more high-tech weapons and end budget limits established in the midst of the recession. It also renews Trump's for a modernized nuclear arsenal.
ENDING N KOREAN THREAT
The US is ready to respond with "overwhelming force" to North Korean aggression and will "improve options" to compel the North to give up its nuclear weapons. However, the "options" aren't entirely spelled out. It seeks cooperation from longtime allies Japan and South Korea toward an "area defense capability" —but that would surely be opposed by China. The strategy calls for building better defenses against ballistic missiles, potentially defeating such weapons before launch.
A MIDEAST BEYOND ISRAEL
The strategy specifically rejects the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as central to Middle East instability. Instead, it identifies extremist groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, along with Iran, as prime catalysts. "Israel is not the cause of the region's problems," the document says, noting that once-hostile countries are finding common ground with the Jewish state on security issues.
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