The Iran war proves it, and the Chinese threat is greater. We need new thinking about defense.
Yet the U.S. isn’t sufficiently prepared to defend its overseas bases, critical infrastructure and personnel. U.S. sites across the Pacific are particularly vulnerable to Chinese and North Korean attacks—as are U.S. locations in the Middle East. The choice before Congress and the Pentagon is clear: Spend the money now to protect these facilities or face a much more serious problem in the future.
U.S. military bases and other infrastructure across the Pacific—from Japan and the Philippines to Guam and South Korea—are highly vulnerable to Chinese and North Korean missiles and drones.
The U.S. needs to get serious about protecting its critical infrastructure. The first urgent step is increasing active defenses, which include air-defense systems that can identify, shoot down or otherwise disrupt incoming missiles and drones.
Congress should boost the Pentagon’s facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization funds to address these gaps—and the Pentagon should spend it quickly.