The State of (Deterrence By) Denial

America should act now to strengthen its Western Pacific forward posture. Neglecting it further raises the risk of war — and defeat.

It is now widely understood that dealing with the threat that China poses in Asia should be the Department of Defense’s top priority. The administration of President Joe Biden has acknowledged this, stating that China will be the defense establishment’s “pacing” threat. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s just-released Pacific Deterrent Initiative request for the Fiscal Year 22 budget makes clear how urgent the situation is. The Department of Defense, the White House, and Congress should use this opportunity to make meaningful progress on this front.

War on the Rocks