[CTC] Trump Doctrine: Economic Security Is National Security

Tue Dec 19 05:53:29 PST 2017

Two articles below...

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/12/18/us/politics/ap-us-trump-national-security.html?_r=0 <https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/12/18/us/politics/ap-us-trump-national-security.html?_r=0>

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Trump Doctrine: Economic Security Is National Security
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DEC. 18, 2017, 3:54 P.M. E.S.T.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared a new national security strategy on Monday, echoing the message of his 2016 campaign as he declared "America is in the game and America is going to win."

In a speech at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Trump faulted previous U.S. leaders for failing to look out for the nation's citizens. He promised to seek openings to cooperate with rivals, but added that "we will stand up for ourselves and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before."

Trump's strategy envisions nations in constant competition, brushes aside Obama-era warnings on climate change and affirms that the United States will unilaterally defend its sovereignty, even if that means risking existing the agreements with other countries that have been a crucial part of the United States' foreign policy since the Cold War.

Revisiting many of his campaign themes, the president argued that he has already seen improvements since taking office, pointing to the economy's strong performance, his withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on trade and his intent to exit the Paris climate accord.

"America is coming back and coming back strong," he said.

The strategy from the Republican president could sharply alter U.S. international relationships if fully implemented. It focuses on four main themes: protecting the homeland, promoting American prosperity, demonstrating peace through strength and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world.

Trump's doctrine holds that nation-states are in perpetual competition and that the U.S. must fight on all fronts to protect and defend its sovereignty from friend and foe alike. While the administration often says that "America First" does not mean "America Alone," the national security strategy makes clear that the United States will stand up for itself even at the cost of alienating allies.

The last national strategy document, prepared by President Barack Obama in 2015, declared climate change an "urgent and growing threat to our national security." The Trump plan removes that determination — following the administration's threat to pull out of the Paris climate accord. The strategy sets a goal of being an "energy-dominant nation" but does say that the United States "recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship."

In his remarks, Trump stressed his "serious plan to defend our homeland." He called anew for construction of a border wall with Mexico, pledged to end "chain migration" of immigrants' relatives and to close "loopholes that undermine enforcement" of immigration restrictions.

The strategy emphasizes that U.S. economic security is national security. In his remarks, Trump called for "firm action against unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft."

The strategy also details the threats of "rogue regimes," like North Korea. It says that China and Russia "challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity."

Despite international challenges, the document cites emerging opportunities to advance American interests in the Middle East. "Some of our partners are working together to reject radical ideologies, and key leaders are calling for a rejection of Islamist extremism and violence," it says. "Encouraging political stability and sustainable prosperity would contribute to dampening the conditions that fuel sectarian grievances."

The strategy document asserts that "for generations the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been understood as the prime irritant preventing peace and prosperity in the region. Today, the threats from radical jihadist terrorist organizations and the threat from Iran are creating the realization that Israel is not the cause of the region's problems. States have increasingly found common interests with Israel in confronting common threats."

Trump did not discuss Russian meddling in the 2016 election during his remarks, though the document also notes that "actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies."

He noted during his remarks that Russian President Vladimir Putin called him over the weekend to thank the CIA for help in stopping a terror plot in St. Petersburg.

"They were able to apprehend these terrorists before the event with no loss of life, and that's a great thing and the way it's supposed to work," said Trump.

He added: "Our rivals are tough, they're tenacious and committed to the long term, but so are we."
___
Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lays-out-world-view-in-which-economic-strength-bolsters-security-1513638012 <https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lays-out-world-view-in-which-economic-strength-bolsters-security-1513638012>

WALL STREET JOURNAL

Trump Lays Out World View in Which Economic Strength Bolsters Security
President criticizes predecessors’ nation-building efforts in speech; carrots and sticks for China and Russia
By Michael C. Bender
Dec. 18, 2017 6:00 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—Declaring that “economic security is national security,” President Donald Trump aimed to reframe a national debate over his domestic economic and trade policies by thrusting them into a national-security context.

“Economic vitality, growth and prosperity at home is absolutely necessary for American power and influence abroad,” Mr. Trump said on Monday as he unveiled his new national-security strategy. “Any nation that trades away its prosperity for security will end up losing both.”

Recounting a year of stock-market gains and unemployment-rate decreases, Mr. Trump on Monday alleged that his predecessors prioritized nation building abroad over economic growth at home. He said his new national-security strategy—released on Monday as mandated by Congress—provided a needed contrast, and included plans for cutting taxes, rebuilding roads and bridges and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The president on Monday also focused on a more-traditional definition of national security, including China and Russia in a list of threats he said included terrorist groups, transnational criminal networks and “rogue regimes,” a phrase the president has used to describe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The White House’s new national-security strategy calls for strengthening the U.S. military by expanding missile-defense capabilities and adding to the nuclear-weapons arsenal.

From the campaign trail, China was a frequent target of blame from Mr. Trump for the decline in some manufacturing sectors. But in the White House, the president has backed away from some of that criticism as he has sought to tighten his bond with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mr. Trump also has maintained cordial relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, prompting criticism from within his own party amid revelations of Russian tampering in the 2016 presidential election.

In the national-security strategy, Mr. Trump portrayed China and Russia as dangerous rivals that have exploited attempts at engagement from previous administrations. On Monday, he referred to them as “rival powers” seeking to “challenge American influence and wealth.” But in an indication of the fine line that the president is attempting to walk, he quickly pivoted to talk about cooperation.

“We will attempt to build a great partnership with those and other countries, but in a manner that always protects our national interest,” Mr. Trump said. An example of that cooperation, he said, was the U.S. recently sharing intelligence with Russia about a pending terrorist attack in which “thousands could have been killed.”

“That is the way it’s supposed to work,” Mr. Trump said.

Central Intelligence Agency officials wouldn’t comment further on Mr. Trump’s assertion about the plot, and referred questions to the White House.

The new strategy drew criticism from environmental groups such as Greenpeace for dropping any mention of climate change as a security threat. The American Civil Liberties Union said Mr. Trump made only “empty references” to human rights and the rule of law.

Beijing is likely to proceed cautiously in responding to Mr. Trump’s speech, as Chinese officials try to gauge whether the stern rhetoric will lead to concrete policy changes, said Steve Tsang, a China expert at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

Mr. Trump’s previous threats of tariffs on China and other tough trade measures have yet to be implemented after months of warnings.

“It will certainly get the full attention of the Chinese government,” Mr. Tsang said. “But I don’t think the Chinese government would respond immediately.”

China’s Ministry of Commerce didn’t respond to a request for comment on reports ahead of Mr. Trump’s speech that he would take a hard stance on Chinese trade practices. Asked about such reports in a regular news briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying declined to comment ahead of the speech but defended trade between China and the U.S. as mutually beneficial.

She said the two-way trade volume exceeded $550 billion in 2016, and that the China-U.S. trade relationship directly and indirectly has provided 2.1 million employment opportunities for the U.S. “We think the sustainable and sound development of the China-U.S. economic relationship is in the interest of our two peoples.”

Long critical of China, Mr. Trump’s personal views on the country seemed to turn more favorable after his first state visit there in November, in which he lauded his host, Mr. Xi. Mr. Trump’s ability to press China on trade is also limited by the U.S.’s need for China’s cooperation on North Korea and the backlash to the U.S. economy that would result from a trade war.

“Now we don’t know which is the real policy,” said Mr. Tsang. “I think he’s perfectly capable of swinging back and forth.”

Simon Shen, a professor of global studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, noted that George W. Bush had also once described China as a “strategic competitor” instead of “strategic partner,” but that such terms can’t translate easily into policy.

“When Bush needed China’s collaboration after 9/11, the U.S. ironically became a major facilitator of the economic progress of this ‘strategic competitor,’ ” he said.

While he described the world as one of heightened rivalries and potentially dangerous competition, Mr. Trump focused t he first two-thirds of his 28-minute speech on much of his first year in office.

Recalling his election last year, Mr. Trump said his elevation represented a “glorious new hope” from the American people who chose him as a rejection of the “failures of the past.”

He said previous presidents “presided over one disappointment after another” when it came to protecting America.

“They surrendered our sovereignty to foreign bureaus in far away capitals,” Mr. Trump said.

“But last year,” he added, “all that began to change.”

—Michael R. Gordon in New York and Eva Dou and Xiao Xiao in Beijing 
contributed to this article.

Write to Michael C. Bender at Mike.Bender at wsj.com <mailto:Mike.Bender at wsj.com>

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