The 2015 National Military Strategy of the USA

Mahmoud Yazdanfam

The National Military Strategy (of the United States) (NMS) is issued every four years, by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as deliverable to the Secretary of Defense. It contains a brief outline of the strategic aims of the US administration and armed services, covering important issues from fundamental threats against the USA and the means and ways to cope with them. This way, the US military strategy for each and single threat or challenge is introduced in the document. In fact, this document reflects the macro perception of the US government about the global security, its aims and priorities and finally the mechanisms to meet the national security needs of the country. In other words, it shows especial orientation of the US macro–level policies which due to some factors can be put aside or not implemented. However, it does worth mentioning that each policy and approach at this document has a departure rooted in military organizations.
Obama administration is of the view that it has a dynamic capability in energy production, science generation, innovation, strong economy and education system and these, overall, attract entrepreneurs from all over the world.
At the international level, having a strong army equipped with the state of the art weaponry and able to create coalitions and their leadership, either at international or regional levels, are assumed as strong points for the US government that contribute to a better securing of its national interests.
According to the document, cyber threat have had an increasing significance during the past 4 years. Previous documents had established terrorism and terrorist groups as the main source of threat against national security of the USA. However, spread of cyber space and activities have shifted the source of threats. But for Americans and based on the said document, the main existing national security threat is ISIL.
In a survey about the future nuclear powers in 2030 and 2050, Iran along with Pakistan and North Korea will become nuclear powers and this in turn, would lead the region to more proliferation, especially by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.
According to the new document of national military and security strategy of the USA, Russia is another source of threat. After the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s confrontation with the West, their threats against the latter has grown and this is reflected in their official documents.
According to the US official documents, threats to its national security are not limited to military ones, but they cover issues like climate change and spread of infectious diseases too. In the 2015 document, Iran is mentioned only by its nuclear activities and the attempts made to resolve the controversy diplomatically. Sanctions are referred to as a cause of Iran’s inclination to begin nuclear talks. This document refers to Iran in another occasion as a strategic challenge against the international community. Pursuing nuclear program and achieving capability of launching nuclear warheads by Iran, are assumed as a challenge against the international community. It accuses Iran of harboring terrorism that could destabilize the region.