The Cipher Brief extends its congratulations to Cipher Brief Expert, General Jack Keane, on being awarded this year’s ‘Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award’ at the recent Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, CA.
The award recognizes professionals who have “applied, with constant purpose, a strategy to strengthen our armed forces, support our military men and women striving around the world, reinforce our nation’s defense systems, and safeguard the lives and interests of the American people.”
What follows is General Keane’s acceptance speech.
I'd like to thank the Ronald Reagan Foundation and The Trustees for this significant honor. And to Roger Zakheim and the Reagan Institute for your innovation to start the Reagan Forum and make it the huge success it is today.
I am also honored to share t his award with Secretary Johnson as we recognize his many years of extraordinary service to protect the American people and our national security.
When Ronald Reagan ascended to the Presidency of the U.S. we were not only facing the global challenge of an empowered and belligerent Soviet Union, but our nation was beset with serious social and economic problems, some of our allies and even our own people, had lost confidence in America as we were a nation torn apart by a controversial 10-year experience in Vietnam, which ended with a humiliating defeat. The impact on the military was profound. We had fought hard, with honor, won just about every battle, yet, we lost in the end. This shook us to our core, particularly, the ground forces who bore the brunt of the war. Many leaders left, disillusioned by the outcome of the war. The Iranian hostage situation, another humiliating setback for the U.S., coupled with a failed military rescue, was a wakeup call.
Ronald Reagan knew the military needed to be rebuilt if the U.S. was to compete favorably against the Soviet Union. While President Reagan added much - needed capabilities to restore America's hard power dominance, he also helped us to heal emotionally and psychologically from the aftermath of Vietnam. His unshakable faith in America's idealism and the American people , as the indispensable nation to confront when needed , the evil in the world , washed over us, in the military, as it did the American people. The military was repurposed under Reagan's policies as we, along with NATO, became a very capable deterrent to the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact . We all know now it was a contributor to their eventual collapse.
Furthermore, the legacy of the Reagan defense build - up was the overwhelming conventional war dominance achieved against Saddam Hussain in Desert Storm. Modern warfare was dramatically changed forever.
As we gather here tonight there has not been a time since the Reagan presidency when Peace Through Strength is more appropriate to describe the serious global security challenges America is facing. I was a member of the Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy, and as our report suggests, we are issuing a clarion call that the security and well - being of the U.S. are at greater risk than any time in decades. America’s military superiority – the hard power backbone of its global influence and national security has eroded to a dangerous degree. Russia and China are seeking regional hegemony and the means to project power globally. Indeed, President Xi has stated boldly that he intends to replace the U.S. as the world’s global leader. The National Defense Strategy appropriately identifies China as the strategic long-term threat to the security of America. Iran is on the march in the Middle East seeking regional domination, North Korea, despite a pledge to denuclearize, has not destroyed or given up a single nuclear weapon or ballistic missile and radical Islam, despite our recent success against ISIS and the killing of Usama Bin Laden, still thrives today as a generational threat.
The Commission , agrees with the Defense Strategy , that the U.S. could not prosecute successfully two conflicts simultaneously. Further, the Commission believes we may struggle to win, or even lose, against major competitor such as Russia and China. We need to flush out the operational concepts to drive force structure, needed capabilities and capacity to reduce the risk. Equally disturbing are the serious geopolitical gains that Russia and China are making in their competition with the U.S. and our allies by operating below the level of major conflict, using hybrid warfare and grey zone operations. Sadly, we have yet to fashion a comprehensive whole of government strategy to contain this new form of competition, much less push it back .
How did we get here? While the U.S. was pre-occupied with the 9/11 wars, Russia and China began to asymmetrically rebuild their military after they witnessed the shocking conventional war dominance of the U.S. in Desert Storm and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. So much so, that the technology gap that existed for decades in favor of the U.S. is closing . As the 9/11 unconventional wars were ending in terms of major military participation, instead of refreshing our much - needed conventional military capability, we began a period of devastating cuts using the Budget Control Act or sequestration as the means, which was a bipartisan decision in profound recklessness. The Trump defense buildup must be sustained for at least 5 years to get us out of the hole we dug. To adequately rebuild the military will take budget increases of 3 - 5%. Anything less is an unacceptable risk.
America will continue to be challenged as the global leader promoting peace, stability and prosperity as we have in the past. We always rise to meet the challenges much as Ronald Reagan did almost 40 years ago. Our global security challenges are different now, but not new to us. We can get this right. We need to inform and educate leaders throughout government and, of course, the American people. No hyping of the threat. Point out their weakness. No saber rattling. Just the truth. What it must take to reduce the unacceptable risk.
Thank you very much.
Read more from Jack Keane here...
