Russia remains the primary threat to American interests in Europe as well as the most pressing threat to the United States. Moscow remains committed to massive pro-Russia propaganda campaigns in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, has continued its active support of separatist forces in Ukraine, regularly performs provocative military exercises and training missions, and continues to sell and export arms to countries that are hostile to U.S. interests (its sale of the S-400 air defense system to Turkey is a prime example). It also has increased its investment in the modernization of its military and has gained significant combat experience while continuing to sabotage U.S. and Western policy in Syria and Ukraine.
China, the most comprehensive threat the U.S. faces, remained “aggressive” in the scope of its provocative behavior and earns the score of “formidable” for its capability because of its continued investment in the modernization and expansion of its military and the particular attention it has paid to its space, cyber, and artificial intelligence capabilities. The People’s Liberation Army continues to extend its reach and military activity beyond its immediate region and engages in larger and more comprehensive exercises, including live-fire exercises in the East China Sea near Taiwan and aggressive naval and air patrols in the South China Sea.
Iran represents by far the most significant security challenge to the United States, its allies, and its interests in the greater Middle East. Its open hostility to the United States and Israel, sponsorship of terrorist groups like Hezbollah, and history of threatening the commons underscore the problem it could pose. Today, Iran’s provocations are of primary concern to the region and America’s allies, friends, and assets there. Iran relies heavily on irregular (to include political) warfare against others in the region and fields more ballistic missiles than any of its neighbors. Its development of ballistic missiles and its potential nuclear capability also make it a long-term threat to the security of the U.S. homeland.
North Korea’s military poses a security challenge for American allies South Korea and Japan, as well as for U.S. bases in those countries and on Guam. North Korean officials are belligerent toward the United States, often issuing military and diplomatic threats. Pyongyang also has engaged in a range of provocative behavior that includes nuclear and missile tests and tactical-level attacks on South Korea.
In the Afghanistan–Pakistan (AfPak) region,
non-state terrorist groups pose the greatest threat to the U.S. homeland and the overall stability of the South/Southwest Asia region. Pakistan represents a paradox: It is both a security partner and a security challenge. Islamabad provides a home and support to terrorist groups that are hostile to the U.S., to other U.S. partners in South Asia like India, and to the government in Afghanistan, which is particularly vulnerable to destabilization efforts. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are already among the world’s most unstable states, and the instability of the former, given its nuclear arsenal, has a direct bearing on U.S. security.
A broad array of terrorist groups remain the most hostile of any of the threats to America examined in the Index. The primary terrorist groups of concern to the U.S. homeland and to Americans abroad are the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda and its branches remain active and effective in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and the Sahel of Northern Africa. SOURCE: Heritage Foundation, November 2020
COMMENT: I am curious as to what our current administration is going to do/not do when it comes to dealing with these global threats...
- Will they try to appease them through negotiations?
- Will they take a strong stand?
- Will they attempt to ignore their influences?
My ongoing concern is that as we rob peter to pay paul so that we can have a vast array of social programs, will that defer monies away from what is really needed to make this country economically strong again....
The wealthy are not STUPID... and, knowing that they face increase in taxes will shelter their money accordingly so that their taxes increase very minorly instead of substantially...
So, how does that help the US of A?
- Medical for All will be costly
- Open borders and increased immigration will be costly
- Redistributing Law Enforcement Funds will be costly
- Free College Education for All will be costly
- The green New Deal will be costly
- Increasing the National Debt will be costly
I am not that SMART nor am I that IGNORANT... but, I do believe that a strong global presence to protect our democracy can only be accomplished with a STRONG MILITARY...
...and, I also believe that substantial business growth can only happen when government regulations are removed, otherwise we will have slow growth and quite possibly inflation when there are shortfalls of demand within the marketplace...
ONLY WHEN WE FLOUNDER
WILL OUR ENEMIES SUCCEED
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