Summary of Formulating National Security Strategy

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00:00:00 - 01:00:00

The video discusses the process of formulating a national security strategy and the importance of having clear objectives. It also describes the challenges that can be faced when formulating a strategy, including the need for buy-in from all senior leaders and the difficulty of keeping the president and service chiefs on the same page.

  • 00:00:00 The video discusses how the recent criticism of strategy formulation processes within the Department of Defense has led to the development of a study by the nonpartisan think tank, CSI. The study found that while the process has resulted in changes to some of DoD's strategy documents, the most significant change has been the shift of the Department's strategic document, the Quadrennial Defense Review, to a national defense strategy.
  • 00:05:00 The report discusses the various decisions that need to be made when formulating a national security strategy, including the need for the Secretary of Defense to be in charge, the need for congressional approval, and the need for outside advisors to be consistent with the Secretary's direction.
  • 00:10:00 This video discusses the formulating of a national security strategy, and suggests that Congress should wait and see how the process plays out before reforming it. The panel of experts includes a former vice president of CSIS, a former deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, and a former head of Marine Aviation.
  • 00:15:00 The presenter discusses the need for a clear understanding of America's goals in the world before strategizing can begin, noting that the debates currently taking place are largely about means rather than ends. He supports the recommendations made in a recent report on national security strategy formulation.
  • 00:20:00 The video discusses the inherent political nature of national security strategy formulation, and the need for clear objectives and alignment among leaders in order to avoid confusion. The speaker says that it is a mistake for the Secretary of Defense to run the process alone, and recommends including the military services in any decisions made.
  • 00:25:00 The video discusses how it can be difficult to form a national security strategy early in an administration, and how a smaller group is better positioned to innovate and come up with creative new strategies.
  • 00:30:00 The speaker believes that it is important to have buy-in from all of the senior leadership of the department in order to have a successful strategy review. He also believes that it can be difficult to hold the attention of a secretary, even when they want to do a good job, and that the strategy review is not a panacea for establishing priorities and making hard choices.
  • 00:35:00 The video discusses the importance of a national security strategy and the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review. It describes how the QDR process should be executed and the challenges that will be faced due to the current budget constraints.
  • 00:40:00 The video discusses the concept of formulating a national security strategy and how it can be difficult to make decisions that go against what service members are trained to do. It also discusses the role of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in formulating a strategy and how it can be difficult to keep the President and service chiefs on the same page. The author discusses the concept of budgeting and how it can lead to strategic decisions being made regardless of whether the strategic choices made in the near-term are agreeable.
  • 00:45:00 The video discusses the need for a coherent national security strategy if the country wants to remain relevant. It discusses the strategy of containment and how it was successful in the past. However, the strategy has had a recent failure in Vietnam. The strategy is managed through the use of incentives, which must be motivated by the needs of the country, not the interests of the government.
  • 00:50:00 The video discusses how the relationship between the National Security Council (NSC) and the White House has evolved over the years, and how this connection has not always been present. It also discusses the value of having a strategy created by those who understand the military, and the difficulties of doing so.
  • 00:55:00 The video discusses the National Security Strategy (NSS) process, which was beneficial because President Obama was personally and directly engaged and he was able to hear from the Defense Department leadership about their views on what was important. The process also allowed the president to put out his own views on what direction he thought the country needed to go in. The process was unique in that there were multiple meetings in the Oval Office with the president, the chairman, the secretary, the undersecretary, and the Vice Chairman. This allowed for discussions about which regions should be prioritized, what should be done about nuclear weapons, and what should be done about the budget. However, the process was less valuable because at that level the discussion was about what the individuals think the right answers are rather than engaging the people who will be making the decisions.

01:00:00 - 01:25:00

The video discusses the need for a national security strategy, how it can be a guide for decision-making, and the importance of strategic patience. It also emphasizes the need for cooperation with allies, and the importance of having a balanced force.

  • 01:00:00 The video discusses the need for a national security strategy and how it should be coupled with other departments in order to ensure good communication and coordination between the different levels of government. The main points made are that the Defense Department doesn't need to be the sole author of the national security strategy, as long as the president and his team are kept updated, and that timing is important, but 2012's example of a strategy coming out without coordination is a good reminder that the strategy should be developed progressively over time.
  • 01:05:00 The video discusses how timing is important when formulating national security strategy, and discusses how the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) was affected by 9/11. It also discusses how China's increasing military capabilities may be a threat to the US' Asia-Pacific strategy.
  • 01:10:00 The video discusses the Department of Defense's appreciation for Chinese military modernization, the need for a strategy against China, and the need for a whole-of-government approach in developing and executing the strategy.
  • 01:15:00 The video discusses the importance of consistency in strategy formulation, as well as the need to focus on basic objectives. It also discusses the need for flexibility in how to pursue those objectives, depending on the situation.
  • 01:20:00 The video discusses the importance of a national security strategy, how it can be a guide for decision-making, and the importance of strategic patience. It also emphasizes the need for cooperation with allies, and the importance of having a balanced force.
  • 01:25:00 The speaker discusses the need for a national security strategy and how it should be linked to the mission of the United States. He also discusses the importance of emphasizing a smaller part of the mission over a large amount of time.

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