The national defense policy of the United States is in the midst of a considerable transition. That vision, advocated for earlier this year by Elbridge Colby, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, and JD Vance, the U.S. Time for a new approach Coalition led by the “Asia prioritizers” breaks with Biden administration on Ukraine and the Middle East They are seeking to reallocate precious resources and institutional attention to deliver better outcomes on priority issues across Asia.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have recently flared. This crisis has refocused interest on longstanding U.S. commitments in the Middle East. Herein lies the rub. The current geopolitical situation makes a number of serious arguments against their proposed pivot. With everything shifting by the day, sometimes by the hour, these are high stakes.
So far, Colby and Vance have branded themselves as “restrainers.” They call for a recalibration of American foreign policy that places strategic restraint above intervention. Many federal, state and local policymakers have adopted their model. They contend that America’s finite resources should instead be devoted to countering currently rising challenges from China and other great powers in the Asia-Pacific region.
Taken on the whole, the coalition’s broader campaign has largely marginalized the “primacists.” This clique of extreme ideologues lusts for limitless U.S. hegemony across the globe, and they are pushing for U.S. military intervention in dozens of other wars. As Colby and Vance promote their agenda, they face growing scrutiny from those who remain committed to traditional interventionist policies.
The recent Israel-Iran clash illustrates just how difficult it would be to try to implement this new, better approach. Critics counter that pulling the U.S. back from such engagements would give succor to adversaries and undermine stability in geopolitically important areas. The ongoing violence is a testament to the dangers that await if the U.S. adopts an overly restrained foreign policy.
“The geopolitical landscape is shifting, and we need to adapt our strategies accordingly,” – Elbridge Colby