U.S. seeks to build alliances, strengthen democracy - Biden’s first draft of National Security Strategy

The White House on Wednesday laid out interim strategic guidance on President Biden’s national security and foreign policy, stressing a need to build alliances and strengthen democracy.

The 24-page document, which mentions democracy 23 times, provides direction to the government agencies in advance of a new national security strategy, which is expected to be released later this year, TURAN’s Washington correspondent reports from the White House.

Overall, Biden stresses the need to “build back" the strength of American democracy and American leadership on the world stage.

“We will lead in promoting shared norms and forge new agreements on emerging technologies, space, cyber space, health and biological threats, climate and the environment, and human rights. And we will convene a global Summit for Democracy to ensure broad cooperation among allies and partners on the interests and values we hold most dear.”

Washington will “reaffirm, invest in, and modernize” its alliances with NATO, Australia, Japan and South Korea, while Russia, according to the document, "remains determined” to enhance its global influence and play a disruptive role on the world stage.

“We will recommit ourselves to our transatlantic partnerships, forging a strong, common agenda with the European Union and the United Kingdom on the defining issues of our time,” it reads.

Earlier Wednesday at the State Department, secretary Anthony Blinken also promised that "wherever the rules for international security, and the global economy are being written, America will be there."

When the U.S. pulls back, Blinken says, one of two things is likely to happen: either another country tries to take our place, but not in a way that advances our interests and values; or, maybe just as bad, no one steps up, and then we get chaos and all the dangers it creates.  Either way, that’s not good for America.

According to the White House’s guidance, authoritarianism and nationalism are on the rise around the world.

“Governments are becoming less transparent and have lost the trust of the people. Elections are increasingly flashpoints for violence.  Corruption is growing.  And the pandemic has accelerated many of these trends”.

The guidance also stresses that military force would be a limited tool in its response to global problems.

“The United States will never hesitate to use force when required to defend our vital national interests… But the use of military force should be a last resort, not the first,”

The guidance lists both climate change and the pandemic as top national security threats.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.