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US National Defense Strategy Prioritizes Homeland Defense and China Deterrence
The United States’ new National Defense Strategy (NDS) prioritizes defending the U.S. homeland and deterring China,marking a shift in focus from previous strategies. Released by the Pentagon, the NDS identifies these as the top two priorities, with a renewed emphasis on the western Hemisphere, which it characterizes as previously “neglected.” The strategy explicitly denies a move towards isolationism.
Key Priorities Outlined in the NDS
the NDS, which guides the Department of Defense’s implementation of the broader National Security Strategy, traditionally serves as a foundational document for the Pentagon. The document was released in an unconventional manner – delivered via email late on a Friday evening as a major snowstorm impacted the East Coast – according to Breaking Defense.
Russia as a Persistent, Manageable Threat
The strategy assesses Russia as a “persistent, but manageable threat” to NATO’s eastern flank. While