Washington’s New Defense Strategy: Bridging the Transatlantic Gap?

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Series Details 01.02.18
Publication Date 01/02/2018
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On 19 January 2018, the US administration of Donald Trump released its first National Defense Strategy (NDS) subtitled Sharpening the American Military’s Competitive Edge under the responsibility of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.

In this analysis the author suggested that the NDS appeared destined to fall short of fully satisfying American allies.

Background

President Donald Trump had launched a new National Security Strategy (NSS) for the United States on the 18 December 2017. It was intended to be a comprehensive statement articulating the worldwide interests, goals, and objectives of the United States that were important to its security.

The National Defense Strategy followed in January 2018. In February 2018 the Department of Defense issued a further document called the Nuclear Posture Review. It said that the NPR was a strategy to keep America safe with a deterrent that was modern and credible. The NPR recommended lowering the yield of some existing submarine-launched ballistic missile warheads (ie. less powerful nuclear warheads), and bringing back a nuclear sea-based launched cruise missile.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/75417?lang=en
Related Links
US: Department of Defense: National Defense Strategy 2018: Summary. Sharpening the American Military’s Competitive Edge https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018-National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf
Blog: The Brookings Institution, 21.01.18: Order from chaos. On the 2018 National Defense Strategy https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/01/21/on-the-2018-national-defense-strategy/
Clingendael: Policy Brief, February 2018: Trump's Nuclear Posture Review https://www.clingendael.org/sites/default/files/2018-02/PB_Trump%27s_Nuclear_Posture_Review.pdf
BBC News, 03.02.18: Russia condemns US nuclear bomb plans http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42931269
US: Department of Defense: Nuclear Posture Review 2018 https://www.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/0218_npr/
US: Department of Defense: News, 02.02.18: Deputy Secretary: Nuclear Posture Review is ‘Tailored Nuclear Deterrent Strategy’ https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1431786/deputy-secretary-nuclear-posture-review-is-tailored-nuclear-deterrent-strategy/
The Economist, 03.02.18: Nuclear posture review. New threat, new weapons https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21736366-america-seeks-expand-its-arsenal-low-yield-nuclear-weapons-new-threat-new-weapons
Chatham House: Expert Comment, 06.02.18: US Allies Aren’t Buying Its New Strategies to Confront China https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/us-allies-aren-t-buying-its-new-strategies-confront-china
UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Library: Briefing Paper, No.8421 (22.10.18): Prospects for US-Russian nuclear arms control http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8421/CBP-8421.pdf
UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Library: Briefing Paper, No.7990 (22.10.18): President Trump: the Nuclear Question http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7990/CBP-7990.pdf
Chatham House: Expert Comment, 22.10.18: Pulling Out of the INF Treaty Is a Mistake That Will Affect Us All https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/pulling-out-inf-treaty-mistake-will-affect-us-all

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