Fri Sep 20 08:00:47 UTC 2024: ## US Sleepwalking into Global War: Experts Warn of Growing Axis of Evil
**Washington, D.C.** – A bipartisan commission of national security experts has issued a stark warning, claiming the United States is “sleepwalking” into a potential global war against a united axis of adversarial powers. The commission, formed under the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, warns that neither the US military nor the public is prepared for the threat posed by a growing alliance between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
The commission, which includes veterans from the Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama administrations, finds that decades of post-Cold War defense cuts and reduced security investments have left the US unprepared to counter China, let alone a multi-front conflict against a coalition of adversaries.
Experts highlight that the current threat from these global powers is unprecedented since WWII, with Europe witnessing the largest land war on the continent since 1945 – a conflict where Russia is receiving support from China, Iran, and North Korea. The potential for open conflict in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific remains a serious concern.
“There’s been a generalized failure across our political class in educating the American public of the severity of these threats,” said Amb. Eric Edelman, vice-chair of the commission. “We have typically responded after a catastrophe, like Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Perhaps we can draw from some different lessons in history.”
The report criticizes the decline in defense spending, which has plummeted from 17% of the GDP in 1952 to only 3% today. Experts warn that this level of investment is insufficient to adequately counter adversaries like China.
Furthermore, the commission found that even with increased weapon stockpiling, the US would likely exhaust its munitions within three to four weeks of engaging in open conflict with Beijing. Some munitions, like anti-ship missiles, are estimated to last only a few days.
While acknowledging the need to continue supporting Ukraine, the commission stresses that a direct war with China or Russia would be significantly more expensive, let alone a global conflict. “Preparing ourselves for defense is essentially an effort to deter conflict,” Edelman said. “Whatever the cost of defense is going to be, it’s going to be paltry in comparison to what the cost of a war would be.”
The commission emphasizes that preparing for prolonged conflict requires more than just increased defense spending. There needs to be a cultural shift in American society, particularly in the face of growing isolationist sentiment.
“They [China] spent the last 20 years building the Belt and Road Initiative, making sure that they control processing and mining for most of the critical minerals that we need,” said Mara Rudman, a commissioner and former deputy assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. “That’s something we need to overcome.”
The experts warn that the American people need to be informed and trusted to make decisions about their nation’s future. “We are not on the brink of a national crisis – in many ways, we’re already deep into a crisis,” said John Hannah, a senior fellow at JINSA. “The commission has fulfilled its mission. Now we need everybody else to play their part.”
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