It is time to move beyond a strategy of containment to a strategy of sustainment (sustainability), move from an emphasis on power and control to an emphasis on strength and influence; from a defensive posture of exclusion, to a proactive posture of engagement. We must recognize that security means more than defense, and sustaining security requires adaptation and evolution, the leverage of converging interests and interdependencies. To grow we must accept that competitors are not necessarily adversaries, and that a winner does not demand a loser. We must regain our credibility as a leader among peers, a beacon of hope, rather than an island fortress.
They identify three investment priorities:
1. Education, health, and social services: "Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health and social services to provide for the continuing development and growth of America’s youth."
2. Sustainable security: "Rather than focusing primarily on defense, the security we seek can only be sustained through a whole of nation approach to our domestic and foreign policies. This requires a different approach to problem solving than we have pursued previously and a hard look at the distribution of our national treasure. For too long, we have underutilized sectors of our government and our citizenry writ large, focusing intensely on defense and protectionism rather than on development and diplomacy."
3. Resources: Our third investment priority is to develop a plan for the sustainable access to, cultivation and use of, the natural resources we need for our continued wellbeing, prosperity and economic growth in the world marketplace
entire document is only 15 pages... very quick read and worth your 10/15 minutes, IMO.
Unclear what the relationship is between this document and DOD. Obviously at the end it says it is not a DOD document / does not reflect the opinions of DOD, but the authors' names are right there, so IMO there is some connection.
-- Edited by soccerguy315 on Thursday 14th of April 2011 08:07:37 PM
