International News
China, Russia subverting post-World War II political and economic order: US NSA HR McMaster
Washington: President Donald Trump will soon unveil a new national security strategy, his top aide has said as he alleged that revisionist powers like Russia and China are subverting the post-World War-II political and economic order to advance their own interest at the expense of America and its allies.
“President Trump will soon unveil the details of his new strategy,” National Security Adviser Lt Gen HR McMaster told a gathering of American national security experts over the weekend at the Regan National Defence Forum in California.
The new strategy will focus on protecting homeland, advancing American prosperity, preserving peace through strength, and finally enhancing American influence.
McMaster said the US today is at a crossroads similar to the period of ex-president Ronald Reagan.
“Revisionist powers Russia and China are subverting the post World War II political economic and security orders to advance their own interests at our expense and at the expense of our allies,” he said.
“The rogue regimes of Iran and North Korea are violating the sovereignty of their neighbours, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and exporting terror to other nations, jihadist terrorist organizations such as ISIS threaten all civilised people in every corner of the world,” McMaster said.
These security challenges require a dramatic rethinking of American foreign policy from previous decades, he said.
America, under President Trump, is reclaiming the strategic confidence necessary for implementing this strategy through understanding in four areas, he said.
“First the values that define our nation. Second the full instruments of our power. Third the threats facing our nation and fourth the dynamic and competitive nature of our security environment,” he said.
McMaster said Trump and his national security team have clearly described the threats that emanate from revisionist powers, rogue regimes and jihadist terrorist organisations.
“The administration’s approach of principled realism also adopts a realistic view of our security environment. For this reason we do not base national security decisions on a rigid ideology but instead on our core national interests and clearly defined objectives derived from those interests,” he said.
“Some threats are more obvious than others. On the recent Asia trip the president spoke out forcefully against unfair trade and economic policies which have disadvantaged American workers and companies. For too long Washington turned a blind eye to cheating and exploitive practices abroad,” he said.
“We in large measure vacated the competitive economic space and the American people pay the price. We’ve also been clear eyed about the more obvious threat from North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development,” he said, adding the president is committed to the total denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
“The error of strategic patience is over. We will not repeat failed efforts of the past,” he said.
“We want all people to have the opportunity to rise. We will compete but competition must be fair. Our economic relationships will respect our partners sovereignty over their economic destinies while ensuring that American workers and American companies are not unfairly disadvantaged,” he said.
McMaster said Trump’s new vision for a free and open ended Pacific imagines a community of nations that are strong, independent and thriving and a future of many dreams for the people of the region.
Confronting the security challenges of today will require US to reclaim its strategic confidence, he added.
