Security Assistance - An Element of Our National Security Environment.

摘要

Security assistance has long been recognized as a highly successful means of providing assistance to other militaries around the world while serving as a low key but very effective foreign policy tool. Often the programs of security assistance are among the most practical and visible signs of our support for and involvement with other nations and their military services. This interaction leads to improved understanding between nations support for emerging democracies effective military and civil contacts and improved defense capabilities for our allies and friends. In the past security assistance has been a significant element of the national security environment. As we assess the changes in our security environment we must ask the question How should the United States of America use security assistance to help shape our national security environment of the future. This paper recommends that the U.S. continues to use security assistance to serve U.S. national security interests. The engagement we achieve through our assistance with governments and the broader society is building strong ties that will help anchor U.S. relations with these countries for years to come. Our engagement must be selective focusing on the challenges that are most relevant to our own interests and focusing our resources where we can make a difference.