1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov March 19, 2019Evaluating DOD Strategy: Key Findings of the National Defense Strategy CommissionOn January 19, 2018, the Department of Defense (DOD, or the Department) released an unclassified summary of the congressionally mandated National Defense Strategy (NDS). On
2、November 14, 2018, the congressionally appointed bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission (NDSC, or the Commission) issued its report, Providing for the Common Defense. The NDSCs mandate was to critique the NDS in order to provide Congress some alternative ideas for improving DOD. All quotati
3、ons are from the NDSC report unless otherwise specified. The National Defense Strategy (NDS) Consistent with comparable documents issued by prior Administrations, the NDS maintains that there are five central external threats to U.S. interests: China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and terrorist groups
4、with global reach. The NDS mandate requires DOD to prioritize those threats. In a break from previous Administrations, the NDS views retaining the U.S. strategic competitive edge relative to China and Russia as a higher priority than countering violent extremist organizations. Further, the NDS appea