National Security Decisions for the Next President
.By Chris Williams & Marc Berkowitz
Chris Williams and Marc Berkowitz, National Security Decisions for the Next President, Issue No. 597, August 19, 2024
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National Security Decisions for the Next President
Chris Williams
Chris Williams previously held senior positions in the U.S. Congress and Department of Defense. He also chaired the Defense Policy Board. He currently serves as an advisor to various U.S. Government organizations, Chair of the Moorman Center for Space Studies at the National Security Space Association, and an independent consultant.
Marc Berkowitz
Marc Berkowitz previously served as the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Space Policy and Vice President for Strategic Planning at Lockheed Martin Corporation. He is currently an advisor to various U.S. Government organizations and an independent consultant.
The next President of the United States will face an extraordinarily complex and dangerous international security environment which could rapidly deteriorate. America now confronts an unprecedented array of national, functional, and transnational threats. In particular, the United States is engaged in a geostrategic contest with a new entente of Axis powers. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are led by autocratic regimes with revisionist or irredentist political aims to change the international system at the expense of U.S. interests.
Within days of being sworn-in, the next President will be forced to make decisions that will determine the future direction of U.S. national security policy. Whether prepared or not, America could face multiple, potentially concurrent, crises or conflicts around the world involving vital or extremely important U.S. interests.[1] It would be imprudent to expect that the U.S. homeland will be a sanctuary in the event of a conflict. Indeed, it may be a prime target for attacks by America’s enemies.
The next President will also inherit a mismatch among the national security objectives (ends), ongoing courses of action (ways), and allocated resources (means) to protect and advance U.S. interests, including support commitments to allies and partners. This article examines key national security decisions that await the next President.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/08/20/national_security_decisions_for_the_next_president_1052774.html
