National Defense: American Hard Power Important

American defense needs a renaissance. After a decade of budget cutbacks — and now amid rapid inflation — our military is stagnating. Meanwhile, our adversaries are leaping ahead in weapons technology like never before. Having entered the 21st century unrivaled, our armed forces now find themselves without the resources needed to fight and win a two-front war.

Many would balk at the mere mention of such a conflict, but the reality is that such a scenario is increasingly plausible. Thirty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, we have entered a new kind of Cold War. China and a resurgent Russia both seek to erode American power. The former, led by Xi Jinping, boasts a rapidly growing military that includes the world’s largest navy by ship count. The latter, under Vladimir Putin, has launched the largest land war in Europe since World War II.

RW

About the Author

Roger Wicker

Roger Wicker, ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, represents Mississippi in the U.S. Senate.

Featured Tags

American defense needs a renaissance. After a decade of budget cutbacks — and now amid rapid inflation — our military is stagnating. Meanwhile, our adversaries are leaping ahead in weapons technology like never before. Having entered the 21st century unrivaled, our armed forces now find themselves without the resources needed to fight and win a two-front war.

Many would balk at the mere mention of such a conflict, but the reality is that such a scenario is increasingly plausible. Thirty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, we have entered a new kind of Cold War. China and a resurgent Russia both seek to erode American power. The former, led by Xi Jinping, boasts a rapidly growing military that includes the world’s largest navy by ship count. The latter, under Vladimir Putin, has launched the largest land war in Europe since World War II.