Opinion: Patrick Shanahan faces more challenges than any other Pentagon chief
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan. By Michael Morell Michael Morell Contributing columnist covering intelligence and national security. Bio Follow Contributing columnist May 9 If he is confirmed as the next defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan will probably face more challenges than any Pentagon chief before him. Most important, he will face the most complex and difficult global security environment in our nation’s history.
China is the most significant competitor Shanahan will face, as it continues to pursue its goal of becoming the dominant nation in Asia and a significant player across the globe. The People’s Liberation Army is on a path to become a rival power the likes of which the United States has not seen since the military heyday of the Soviet Union.
In Iran, Shanahan will have to contend with a nation that has vivid nostalgia for its imperial past and aspirations for regional hegemony that come with it. It sees the U.S.-led order in the Middle East, including the existence of Israel, as a roadblock to that hegemony. And, while its military capabilities pale compared to Russia’s and China’s, Iran is investing aggressively in its military.
Meanwhile, radical Islamist terrorist groups continue to pose a threat to Americans and U.S. interests. Notwithstanding recent gains against the Islamic State, there are more extremists today in more countries around the globe than before 9/11. Powered by state failure brought about by poor governance, regional conflict and environmental challenges such as severe drought, we will need to defend ourselves from these groups for generations.
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