Two retired four-stars lay out the case for the National Security Emergency Package currently being considered in the House.
A global
chess game is underway and America’s security depends on it. Congressional
negotiators are counting votes to break gridlock and fund America’s national
security. As they do, thousands of miles away, an opposite set of deliberations
are afoot, from Moscow to Tehran to Beijing, not to build a secure America—but
to work against the interests of our citizens.
As
military officers who spent our lives in uniform and oversaw U.S. military
operations at NATO and in the Pacific, we believe today’s world is more
complicated, more threatening, and most of all more interconnected than any
we’ve witnessed.
In real
time, Iran is seizing the opportunity to empower Houthi extremists in the Red
Sea and Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. As North Korean-built missiles fall on
Ukrainian targets, Putin welcomes this rising regional instability, distracting
the world from the battlefield between Kiev and Crimea. All the while, Beijing
watches closely to determine whether the invasion of Ukraine is either a
cautionary tale or a greenlight when it comes to Taiwan.
As the
Senate passed the National Security Emergency Package last month, Senator Thom
Tillis, R-N.C., aptly described this moment, “If we walk away, you will see the
alliance that is supporting Ukraine crumble. You will ultimately see China
become emboldened. And I am not going to be on that page of history.” As
America’s national security hangs in the balance, the package now being
considered in the House is essential to counter those who would do us harm. And
with Putin making Ukraine’s economy another theater of war, the critical U.S.
civilian economic and humanitarian assistance—alongside security
assistance—will be just as vital to ensure Ukraine can continue to defend its
territory and prevent Russian forces from pushing further into Europe.
Meanwhile,
other crises metastasize. Ukraine is known as the “breadbasket of Europe” and
the invasion is one of the core reasons that 9 in 10 people face acute levels
of food insecurity in hot spots already affected by fragility and conflict –
countries like Sudan, Yemen, and Syria. The last time the world faced such a
significant food crisis, it helped contribute to bloody conflict across the
Middle East and North Africa and the rise of ISIS. Currently, 150 million
people are facing “acute food insecurity” and 108 million have been forced to
flee their homes worldwide.
Likewise,
China is on the march, accumulating influence and economic riches across Africa
and the Global South. Beijing has upped its global development investment more
than fivefold over 15 years, and is already beginning to reap the dividends.
From critical minerals in Africa to relationships in Latin America and
southeast Asia, the race is on for the export markets that will define this
century.
In our
country, meanwhile, isolationist headwinds are animating our nation’s
politics. Some of our fellow citizens
believe our nation should turn inward. But we’ve learned the hard way that our
two oceans will not protect us from the threats of the 21st century. And while
the notion that politics should stop at the water’s edge may no longer be quite
as sacrosanct, it's why we are part of a group of more than 260 retired three-
and four-star generals and admirals who continue to speak out around the country
on why America has to engage in the world to stop threats before they arrive on
our shores.
Some
argue that democracy is not suited to this moment. We disagree. We believe that
the vibrancy of our democracy earns the United States a credibility that Putin,
Kim Jong Un, and the Ayatollah can only dream of: admiration and allies, not
just transactional relationships. But you can’t win if you don’t show up.
The
world is watching the chessboard to see whether the United States can
deliver—on security, on economic competition, and on humanitarian crises—in the
way that’s always defined and differentiated us from the competition. Over the
last year, it’s no secret that our allies have been stepping up—as they
should—with European countries now committing $3 for every $1 the U.S. has
contributed to Ukraine. Yet the stakes for our own interests are too high for
our nation to sit on the sidelines.
We agree
with Speaker Mike Johnson when he affirmed that “we can’t allow Vladimir Putin
to march through Europe.” How can we get there? Passing the National Security
Emergency Package in the House is critical, not just for the reinforcement it
must bring to the Pentagon and our comrades in arms, but equally so to their
partners at the State Department and USAID.
These
investments are essential to meet the civilian security, economic, and
humanitarian needs rapidly piling up before those too demand military
solutions. Together, these agencies—defense and civilian—make up America’s team
and they need our urgent support.
In
national security, one may debate causality against correlation, but there are
no coincidences. When Moscow hosted Hamas at the Kremlin after the barbaric
October 7 terrorist attacks, and Xi Jinping hosted Putin in Beijing during
China’s recent 130-country conference, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un toured
Russian missile sites, the message was clear.
The
authoritarians are playing to win on the global chessboard, and they’re acting
in lockstep.
Passing
a budget up to the challenge is the first way to put us on a path to check our
adversaries and competitors—and to protect our national interests, our
citizens, and our way of life.
***Philip
Breedlove, a retired U.S. Air Force general, commanded NATO Supreme Allied
Command from 2013 to 2016.
**Sam
Locklear, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, commanded U.S. Pacific Command from 2012
to 2015.
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2024/03/authoritarians-are-playing-win-america-cant-if-we-dont-show/395008/