AS THE world considers the repercussions of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, an increasingly assertive China, and the disturbing aspirations of nations like Iran and North Korea, it considers also what the role of the United States will be—and what its role must be is leadership, said the U.S. secretary of defense.
"We're
living through challenging times," said Lloyd J. Austin III, who spoke
recently at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.
"That includes the major conflicts facing our fellow democracies, Israel
and Ukraine; bullying and coercion from an increasingly assertive China; and a
worldwide battle between democracy and autocracy."
When
the world appears to be in disarray, Austin said, U.S. allies and partners
look to the United States to see what must be done. And the U.S. must not
waiver in providing leadership and decision-making.
"These
are the times when both our friends and our rivals look to America," he
said. "These are the times when the American people count on their leaders
to come together. And these are the times when global security relies on
American unity and American strength."
Since
the end of World War II, Austin said, the world has adhered to a rules-based
international order, developed with U.S. leadership, that has provided not just
the United States, but the entire world an unprecedented period of peace and
prosperity. Neither that rules-based order nor U.S. leadership must be
allowed to falter, he said.
"The
world built by American leadership can only be maintained by American
leadership," Austin said. "American leadership rallies our allies and
partners to uphold our shared security. And it inspires ordinary people around
the world to work together toward a brighter future."
Inside
the United States, Austin said, some Americans have shied away from the
country's role as a global leader and prefer instead that the U.S. move toward
isolationism. Austin said that's been a mistake in the past and is a mistake
today, as well.
"If
we forfeit our position of responsibility, our rivals and our foes will be glad
to fill that vacuum," he said. "In every generation, some Americans
prefer isolation to engagement — and they try to pull up the drawbridge. They
try to kick loose the cornerstone of American leadership. And they try to
undermine the security architecture that has produced decades of prosperity
without great-power war."
Were
the U.S. to shirk its leadership role, he said, America's enemies and the
enemies of its allies would only be emboldened. And that failure to lead
would put the security and wellbeing of the United States and its allies at
risk.
"The
cost of abdication has always far outweighed the cost of leadership,"
Austin said. "The world will only become more dangerous if tyrants and
terrorists believe that they can get away with wholesale aggression and mass
slaughter. America will only become less secure if dictators believe they can
wipe a democracy off the map. And the United States will only pay a higher
price if autocrats and zealots believe that they can force free people to live
in fear."
The
U.S. has not shied away from its leadership role, Austin said, and will not.
Instead, he said the U.S. has responded where crises have occurred—such as
Ukraine and Israel—and has also continued to strengthen partnerships globally
as a way to help future crises from developing.
Following
the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, Austin said he made the trip to Israel to assure
partners there that the U.S. is committed to their security. "I flew
to Israel to underscore our solidarity and our resolve, and to make it
crystal-clear that America's commitment to Israel's security is ironclad,"
Austin said.
Since
then, he said, the U.S. has provided security assistance to Israel and helped
get hostages held by Hamas returned home. "We will continue to do
everything that we can to help secure the release of every man, every woman and
every child seized by Hamas — including American citizens," Austin
said.
In
the Middle East, Austin said, the U.S. has also increased its own security
posture. That now includes two carrier strike groups, an amphibious ready
group, a Marine expeditionary unit, a guided-missile submarine, integrated
air-defense and missile-defense forces, and fighter aircraft and
bombers.
Austin
also said that U.S. leadership with Israel includes reinforcing important
values, such as those embodied in the law of war. And one of those values is
that civilians must be protected. It's something Austin said he had experience
with during his time as an Army general operating in Iraq, and it's something
he said the U.S. continues to remind Israel of as it fights against
Hamas.
"In
this kind of a fight, the center of gravity is the civilian population. And if
you drive them into the arms of the enemy, you replace a tactical victory with
a strategic defeat," Austin said. "I have repeatedly made clear to
Israel's leaders that protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral
responsibility and a strategic imperative."
The
U.S. hasn't just provided security assistance to Israel, Austin said. The U.S.
has also provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. This week, he
said, the U.S. airlifted more than 54,000 pounds of U.N. medical supplies,
clothing and food to those in Gaza. He said it won't be the last airlift of
supplies.
Going
forward, Austin said, the U.S. remains committed also to peace in the Middle
East. And that means, he said, there must be a two-state solution there. There
must be a nation for the Jewish people, and there must be a nation for the
Palestinians, as well. And those two nations must act as good neighbors.
"We
believe that Israelis and Palestinians must find a way to share the land that
they both call home," Austin said. "And that means a path toward two
states living side by side in mutual security ... a two-state solution remains
the only viable way out of this tragic conflict that has ever been
proposed."
Following
the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the U.S. also stepped up to its leadership
role. Last year, for instance, Austin spearheaded the creation of the Ukraine
Defense Contact Group, a coalition of some 50 nations that meets monthly and is
committed to the security of Ukraine now and into the future.
Since
the February 2022 Russian invasion, the U.S., allies and partners have worked
to get important weapons to the Ukrainians to allow them to defend themselves.
Included there are High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS; Patriot
air defense systems; Abrams tanks; and more, Austin said.
U.S.-led
efforts have helped Ukrainian forces weaken the Russian military, and Austin
said that U.S. leadership and partner efforts must not stop until Ukraine is
again free.
"The
outcome of this struggle will define global security for decades to come,"
he said. "And we don't have the option of sitting it out. President [Joe]
Biden has laid down a clear objective: The United States seeks a free and
sovereign Ukraine that can defend itself today — and deter more Russian
aggression in the future. And, so, we are working together with our allies and
partners to help Ukraine build a future force that can ward off more Russian
malice in the years to come."
If
the U.S. and partners fail to stand up to Russian aggression, Austin said,
Russia will only be emboldened to do more. "Russia's invasion of
Ukraine offers a grim preview of a world of tyranny and turmoil that should
make us all shudder," he said.
In
the Pacific, Austin said China is the only rival with the intent and
potentially the capacity to reshape the international order. "The PRC
[People's Republic of China] hopes that the United States will stumble and
become isolated abroad and divided at home," he said. "But together,
we can prevent that fate. And we have made extraordinary progress, along with
our allies and partners, in meeting the China challenge and forging a more
secure Indo-Pacific."
Across
the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. is leading by strengthening partnerships
there with other nations who value freedom and democracy. With the
Philippines, for instance, Austin said the U.S. has embarked on an expansion of
the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. That expansion will allow the U.S.
access to four more Philippine military facilities.
The
U.S. and India last summer also unveiled a new direction of defense industrial
cooperation. "That strategy is already driving our work together on
key defense platforms," he said. "We also rolled out a major deal to
build aircraft engines in India. And when I was back in India last month, we
announced our intent to co-produce armored vehicles with India — our first time
with any foreign partner."
The
U.S. has also been working closely with Japan, South Korea, Papua New Guinea,
and Australia, as well. Through the AUKUS partnership — which includes
Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. — those three nations will help
Australia acquire conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, Austin
said.
In
advance of the Reagan National Defense Forum, Austin said he met in California
with British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and Australian Deputy Prime
Minister Richard Marles, who also serves as defense minister, for the second
meeting of AUKUS defense ministers.
The
United States is a world leader, and its military remains the most lethal
fighting force in human history, Austin said. Neither of those will
change. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are the United States of
America," Austin said.
"It's
not enough just to pursue our national interests. We must also live our
national values. As President [Ronald] Reagan said, 'Our foreign policy should
be to show by example the greatness of our system and the strength of American
ideals.' We must ensure, as President Biden has said, that America remains 'a
beacon to the world.' We will not let that beacon flicker or fade. In this
uncertain hour, at this time of testing, the world looks to America again. And
we must not give our friends, our rivals, or our foes any reason to doubt
America's resolve." (
