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What's new about the US National Security Strategy in 2015?

13/2/15
After a missed out period, on February 6th, President Barack Obama has officially announced the 2nd National Security Strategy as well as final one during his tenure.
According to Reuters, this 29-page document published before Congress that the United States continues to lead the international coalition in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syrian while continuing with its European allies in the campaign of enclosing and isolating Russia concerning the crisis in Ukraine. The document reemphasizes the importance of the US strategic shift towards Asia - Pacific, Washington continues moving more economic militant and diplomatic resources into this area. The National Security Strategy 2015 affirmed that the US maintains a base defense with trained forces and the world's best equipments; commits to strengthening security in the country; builds a global security posture which could mobilize total national power capacity; prevents the proliferation of destructive weapons, especially nuclear weapons; builds a global response capabilities...; enhances energy security and promotes America’s values; acclaims to the big emerging countries but warns that it is ready to prevent potential competitors.
New York Times said “the National Security Strategy 2015” stressed, even when facing with coming threats, Washington does not despise the long-term issues such as change climate, trade, poverty, global security.
According to National Security Advisor Susan Rice, basically, this is a strategy to strengthen the foundation of American, including politics, economy, military to maintain its leading role in the 21st century, through which it could help the US solve the current challenges and seize the opportunities in the future. New National Security Strategy of the United States is led by four sustainable national interests as outlined in the most recent strategy published in 2010. They are security, prosperity, international values and order based on law. MS. Susan Rice also said that the national interest of the United States is sustainable but many things have changed in the last 5 years, so on the whole, the National Security Strategy 2015 is a new document.
Typically, in the US there are two National Strategies for National Security Strategy (NSS) and National Military Strategy (NMS - also known as the Military Doctrine). NSS defines the tasks for internal and external mission and direction of national development in the broadest sense, NMS also focuses on the issues of construction and modernization of the US Armed Forces in accordance with the development of situation. With this definition, NMS is a specific strategy to implement the key tasks set out in the NSS, and therefore NMS is often referred to “sub - strategy” while NSS is “general strategic”.
Since 1986, the US Congress has specified that the new term president of the United States shall submit NSS contents to lawmakers under their authority. American presidents often use NSS to set big goals and priorities in ensuring the safety for the American people. Security strategy will determine the use of budget, defense and security policy of Washington. The National Security Strategy is usually published every 4 years. In the National Security Strategy 2010, President Obama outlines security priorities which included ending the war in Iraq; defeat of Al Qaeda and economic recovery. Perhaps, the second and the last National Security Strategy in the tenure of President Obama has had to be announced in the first half of 2014 but then it was delayed. According to the Diplomat, the main reason for the delay is Washington needed time to “reassess” the new challenges that “they can not anticipate” in which we must mention the appearance of IS and bad relations with Russia.
Evaluating the National Security Strategy 2015, The Foreign Policy quoted speech of expert’s Patrick Stewart at the US Council on Foreign Relations that it was too general as it did not state how to reconcile the priority response to pressing challenges, while the government did not invest enough to resolve the crisis in the world. According to this expert, the Pentagon, the State Department and the diplomatic as well as security agencies in the government will not be able to build an appropriate strategy if there is no clear guidance from the White House. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham criticized that it is the government's strategy which has created conditions for the bad elements to emerge.

Although it was in favor or opposed, throughout all the basics of National Security Strategy of the United States, including the National Security Strategy 2015, Washington is still pursuing the goal is to win invariant the “world leader”. This long-term strategic goal has ever been confirmed and it will never been changed over every presidential terms of the United States. The New York Times points out, the 29-page document published on February 6th, the phrase of “leader” or other similar words were mentioned about 100 times. In fact, this new text also identified the United States maintains the role of “world leader”, but acknowledged the limit strength of America. For this reason, the US can not solve the global challenges of security by itself in complex situation with many difficulties of the world at present.
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All comments [ 10 ]


Gentle Moon 13/2/15 21:43

The National Security Strategy (NSS) has a lot more to it than the media is letting on.

Red Star 13/2/15 21:45

the NSS contains some valuable nuggets of information that can provide foresight into the US’ upcoming foreign policy moves.

LawrenceSamuels 13/2/15 21:46

Some of the measures being proposed are bound to be seen as threatening by other states, and they’re expected to surely respond in some way or another.

yobro yobro 13/2/15 21:47

Not only will the US “support emerging democracies”, but in particular, it will “[provide] direct support for civil society” and “[identify] future leaders in government, business, and civil society and [connect] them to one another.”

For A Peace World 13/2/15 21:49

The most detailed strategy outlined in the document is for the US’ hyper engagement with Africa, which is envisaged as having both economic and military components.

Socialist Society 13/2/15 21:51

By the US “support[ing] the early conclusion of an effective code of conduct for the South China Sea between China and the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN)”, it’s saying that it wants ASEAN to group up against China.

Vietnam Love 13/2/15 21:52

In what will obviously be seen as threatening for China, the US “see[s] a strategic convergence with India’s Act East policy and [its own] continued implementation of the rebalance to Asia and the Pacific.”

Me Too! 13/2/15 21:54

The US is clearly lusting for a privileged partnership with India, so the bilateral relationship between the two is definitely something of significance to monitor in the coming years, as any potential Indian pivot to America would endanger the country’s historic friendship with Russia and enflame its rivalry with China.

Voice of people 13/2/15 21:55

This section makes the case for the TPP and TTIP (the imbalanced trade deals the US is trying to seal with Asia and Europe, respectively), as well as the reform of the World Bank and IMF, which the US plans to use as tools for projecting its economic strength

John Smith 13/2/15 21:57

For as much as the US trumpets its ideals, it admits that “strategic interests require [it] to engage governments that do not share all [its] values” and that it will “speak out clearly for human rights and human dignity in [its] public and private diplomacy”.

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