Dear friends and colleagues,
Yesterday, the Commission on the National Defense Strategy for the United States released its final report, and today, Commissioners presented their unanimous conclusions and recommendations before Congress.
The independent, bipartisan Commission concludes that the United States urgently requires “substantial and wide-ranging change” to its defense and national security structure. Our current systems are outdated, bureaucratic, and overly political, preventing us from responding with the necessary urgency to the gravest threats our nation has faced since 1945. These include an emerging axis of authoritarianism opposed to U.S. interests and with it the growing potential for major war. The Commission calls for a comprehensive strategy incorporating all elements of national power and a Multiple Theater Force Construct to shape the capabilities needed to deter and defeat threats to U.S. security.
I am honored to have served as one of the eight Commissioners and to have been part of an effort to which five CSBA experts significantly contributed. CSBA Counselor Ambassador Eric Edelman served as Vice Chair of the Commission. My fellow Commissioners included CSBA Board Member GEN Jack Keane (USA, Ret.) and CSBA Council Member Roger Zakheim. CSBA Senior Fellow and Director of Defense Budget Studies Dr. Travis Sharp served as a key member of the Commission’s staff.
I extend my gratitude for their invaluable leadership and contributions to the NDS Commission Chair, the Honorable Jane Harman; fellow Commissioners Mara Rudman, Mariah Sixkiller, and Alissa Starzak; and the Commission’s staffers.
As an independent, non-partisan organization, CSBA is proud that its experts have played critical roles in this endeavor. Our dedication to shaping informed defense policies remains unwavering in our efforts to protect the United States, its allies, and its friends.
Sincerely,
President and CEO