US defence spending call may have limited impact

Significance The Commission, established by Congress to evaluate the Biden administration’s 2022 NDS, makes several major recommendations. The most significant is that the Pentagon should adopt a force construct capable of countering a growing alignment of hostile authoritarian countries. Impacts The report says the United States needs the capacity to defeat multiple, globally dispersed adversaries while still deterring other attacks. The report prioritises protecting Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East together with the US homeland. The Commission praises recent Pentagon acquisition reform initiatives but wants them expanded to enhance “deterrence by endurance”. Due to the growing capabilities of potential adversaries, the Commission warns that the US homeland no longer enjoys sanctuary from attack.