"Return to the Cold War" - New Defense Strategy From Pentagon Resembles Old One
"Return to the Cold War", Time magazine dubbed the new US defense strategy. The Pentagon, following Trump's doctrine of security, presented its paper, a report on how the President's instructions will be implemented. And this is the first such strategy in the last 10 years, the last one was taken by George W. Bush. In general, it fits into the mold laid by Trump in December. But the nuance of the new document is that it's secret, only 11 pages are available to the public. Therefore, everyone watched very carefully how The US Secretary of Defense presented this strategy.
Our US correspondent, Valentin Bogdanov, will tell us what the document says and what it implies.
"Welcome to the days of the Cold War". So James Mattis, the head of Pentagon nicknamed, Mad Dog, could begin his speech in front of John Hopkins University's grateful audience. The place to present the new US defense strategy was chosen clearly for a reason.
After MIT, John Hopkins is the largest in the US in terms of the number of military projects. It seems the details of future contracts remained hidden in the secret part of the document, but its 10 public pages are enough to understand how far the militaristic plans are extending. According to Mattis, the main problem now for US security is not terrorism, but strategic rivalry between superpowers.
Jim Mattis: "We face growing threats from revisionist powers as different as China and Russia, nations that seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models, pursuing veto authority over other nation’s economic, diplomatic, and security decisions, Rogue regimes like North Korea and Iran, continue illegal acts which threatened regional, and even global stability. They are suppressing their own people, humiliating their dignity and infringing on human rights, they are promoting their views from the outside".
According to Mattis, all these countries, are breaking the "rules of the road", established for the international order. The self-appointed inspector in military uniform apparently forgot that the rules weren't written in Washington’s traffic police. Sergei Lavrov reminded him. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs’ final UN press conference after high-level talks.
Sergei Lavrov: "Together with China, as this strategy says, we are breaking the international system from within. As you know, in every country the military wants to justify the need for additional expenditures, and this factor should be brought into consideration here as well. We're ready for dialogue, we are ready to discuss military doctrines, and how it was before, when the militaries of the two countries strengthened confidence".
But for now the Pentagon is focused on opposition and will increase combat readiness of its army. Including the development of nuclear forces, as well as preparations for war in outer and cyber-space, and the development of artificial intelligence systems. Key areas are the Indo-Pacific region, the Middle East and, of course, NATO, and its US allies it will have to put in greater financial contributions. Mattis said that since the end of WWII, the US contributed a disproportionate share of defense spending, and he made a pun about this.
Jim Mattis: "As Winston Churchill once said, 'The only thing that's more difficult than fighting with allies is fighting without them.' We will be stronger together, and we recognize this’. Our military forces will be created, trained, and ready to fight together with our allies. Fighting together and equally with our allies will allow us to become strong in as much as it's done".
Pentagon will also need allies in the US. First of all, on Capitol Hill. The Republicans and the Democrats are now in A budget standoff because of Trump's immigration law. This weekend the US government may be left without funds, but the military's appetite doesn't appear any smaller.
Jim Mattis: "Without adequate funding, ships will not go to sea, ships that are already at sea will not return, the planes will stay on the ground, the pilots will be in a bad shape, and as a result, soldiers trained soldiers, won't be ready to fight if there's war. But I'm an optimist and I believe that Congress will make the right decision, maybe I'm the only one in this room who thinks so, but I'm an unshakable optimist".
If we look at the number of zeros in the amounts of the current US defense budget, then it's not difficult for Mattis to remain an optimist. This year US will spend a record $700 billion on defense.
Valentin Bogdanov and Ivan Utkin. From New York — Vesti.