The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff recently described the U.S. global system of alliances and partners as the country’s “strategic source of strength,†the Defense Department reported Sunday.U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, speaking at the Military Reports and Editors Conference held Friday, told attendees that Russia and China also recognize the fact that “it is our network of allies and partners that makes us strong.â€
America’s two main competitors are seeking to disrupt that network, Dunford observed. Russia and China are working to sow doubt among U.S. allies in Europe and in the Pacific.
Dunford said that such efforts, coupled with growing military capabilities, constitute adversarial strategies that aim to deny U.S. forces access to different parts of the world.
Subsequently, for Dunford, the core issue is maintaining U.S. “ability to project power where necessary to advance our interests.â€
