The Pentagon has unveiled its 2026 National Defense Strategy, marking a sharp doctrinal shift toward a “peace through strength” posture that elevates Israel as a central U.S. strategic partner, prioritizes homeland defense, and places unprecedented demands on allies to shoulder more of the global security burden.
The 34-page document, signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, represents one of the most consequential resets of U.S. defense policy in years — formalizing the Trump administration’s post-October 7 Middle East strategy, codifying the results of recent military campaigns against Iran, and signaling a more transactional approach to alliances in Europe and beyond.
At the core of the strategy is a decisive tilt toward Israel, which the Pentagon formally designated a “model ally.” Unlike prior national defense strategies that sought to balance U.S. relationships across the Middle East, the new document places Israel at the center of American regional strategy.
The strategy praises Israel as a partner that “does not ask the United States to fight on its behalf,” but instead demonstrates the capability and willingness to defend itself — a framing that senior U.S. officials say justifies unequivocal American support.
In a direct rebuke of the Biden administration, the strategy argues that Washington previously “tied [Israel’s] hands” in the aftermath of the October 7 attack, rather than empowering it.
The new approach commits the U.S. to removing bureaucratic and political obstacles to ensure Israel’s military superiority, reflecting a view inside the Pentagon that Israeli strength is now a pillar of regional stability rather than a complicating factor.
The document also formally echoes the Trump administration’s assessment of the campaign against Iran, explicitly stating that Tehran’s nuclear program has been “obliterated,” language repeatedly used by President Trump. It further notes that Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” — including Hezbollah and Hamas — has been “severely degraded” following Israeli operations backed by the United States.
Pentagon officials argue that Iran’s weakened position has created space for a reduced U.S. military footprint in the Middle East, allowing Washington to rely more heavily on a regional security architecture led by Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Beyond the Middle East, the strategy redraws U.S. global priorities, placing homeland defense at the top of the national security agenda. For the first time, the Pentagon explicitly links military strategy to border security, directing the armed forces to play a role in countering drug cartels and terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere.
The document also delivers a pointed message to U.S. allies in Europe. While Russia is described as a “persistent but manageable threat,” the strategy makes clear that the United States will no longer carry the primary burden for Europe’s conventional defense.
The Pentagon also set a new benchmark calling on allied countries to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense — a significant escalation from the long-standing 2 percent target. Under the new framework, the U.S. will provide what the strategy calls “critical but more limited support,” while European nations are expected to assume primary responsibility for defending the continent.
China, described as the United States’ central long-term challenge, is addressed through a shift from direct confrontation to deterrence “through strength.” The strategy states that Washington does not seek to block China’s growth or force policy change in Beijing, but instead aims to prevent China from dominating the Indo-Pacific.
To support that goal, the Pentagon places heavy emphasis on revitalizing the American defense industrial base, calling for major investments in advanced technologies and large-scale munitions production.
Perhaps the most symbolic shift in the document is the formal return to use of the historic name “War Department.” According to Hegseth, the change is intended to “restore the warrior ethos” within the U.S. military and sharpen its focus on a single mission: winning wars.
No comments:
Post a Comment