A recent bi-partisan congressional panel has indicated that the United States needs to prepare for war with both China and Russia. Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine has the potential to expand into neighboring NATO member states, which will trigger article 5. China is continuing to build up and modernize its military force for a planned invasion of Taiwan if it cannot seek re-unification through diplomatic solutions. The panelists also failed to recognize the potential conflict between North and South Korea, as tensions continue to rise. Along with the recent attacks by Hamas in Israel, the United States will likely be facing multiple threats.
The first question to ask is the likelihood of these events happening? The answer varies amongst experts and analysts. I would say an all out world war three is highly unlikely, but the United States should prepare for this scenario. The second question is: is the United States ready to handle an all out war? I would argue that it is not. The United States has been training for years on guerilla warfare tactics to fight terrorist organizations world wide. Military leaders are going to have to work on new tactics, like urban warfare, to prepare for assaults on cities.
The United States also needs to modernize its military capabilities. This of course means more funding for the DOD, which these days may be difficult. Military officials proposed a budget of $842 billion to completely modernize the military. But I would argue that to prepare for a war like this, you would need over $950 billion, which will include modernization, increased weapons and ammunitions, and enough money to pay the salaries of newly recruited soldiers.
The United States would also need to work with its allies to increase their military capabilities. Recently, NATO ran a huge training mission of over 40,000 troops to prepare for a scenario of a Russian invasion into eastern Europe. These exercises need to be increased so that the fighting force is better prepared. Allies of the United States also need to significantly increase their military budgets to modernize their militaries. Germany, Japan and South Korea are two key allies that have already done so. Eastern European countries have also begun to modernize their forces. France, Canada and the United Kingdom need to follow suit so they can be prepared to assist in any conflict.
The United States and the west have proven how in Ukraine that western resolve is nowhere near dead. Western aid is one of the key reasons the Ukraine is holding on and even pushing the Russians back. China has seen what the west can do, and is likely re-evaluating any sort of invasion. The United States is supporting South Korea with nuclear submarines in the peninsula, likely preventing any escalation of aggression. Now the United States is supporting Israel in its fight against Hamas in Gaza, parking the USS Gerald R. Ford off its coast. The United States is actively working to prevent a major war, but it must recognize that it has to continue modernizing just in case it must engage in a conflict on multiple fronts.
Author: Joshua Cheatham
