Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley testified this week before the House Appropriations Committee on the Biden administration’s proposed $842 billion dollar fiscal 2024 defense budget. During opening statements, Austin and Milley provided an excellent strategic overview of a number of regions and topics posing security challenges for the United States. Here are some highlights:
Global View
Milley said the international rules-based structure that has kept great power peace since the end of World War II is under stress. "For the first time in the nation's history, the United States is facing two major nuclear powers whose vital national security interests are in competition with the United States," he said. "Both the People's Republic of China and Russia have the means to threaten our interests and our way of life.
On China
"This is a strategy-driven budget and one driven by the seriousness of our strategic competition with the People's Republic of China (PRC)," Austin told committee members. "The PRC is our pacing challenge, and we're driving hard to meet it. Our budget builds on our previous investments to deter aggression by increasing our edge."
Milley said China is seeking to become the sole "regional hegemon" within the next decade and is seeking to outpace the US military by 2049. China’s actions are moving it "down the path towards confrontation and potential conflict with its neighbors, and possibly the United States."
On Russia
The defense leaders told lawmakers that Russia is an acute threat and remains dangerous, Milley stated the US is "supporting Ukraine as it fights to protect its sovereignty, and supporting our NATO allies with a United States force presence in every single nation on NATO’s eastern flank." Milley stressed that this fight is not just in Ukraine’s interests, but also in the global interest "to protect the system and rules that have prevented great power war since the conclusion of World War II."
The US has committed to provide Ukraine 160 155mm Howitzers, over 1,000,000 155mm artillery rounds, 38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), a Patriot air defense battery, 8 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), 31 Abrams tanks, and 109 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
Russia retains a large nuclear capability to threaten the United States, Europe, and the globe. Milley stated that "Vladimir Putin and his regime continue to use irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and posturing." Additionally, Russia has repeatedly demonstrated its capability and will to conduct complex malicious cyber activities targeting American digital infrastructure, both military and commercial.
On Xi's Visit to Russia
Milley described a meeting this week between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “troubling”. He warned that Xi’s decision to provide material support to Russia in Ukraine would not only “prolong the conflict” but also make it “global”.
Read / Watch the Full Testimony HERE.
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