No country in the world has a network of alliances and partnerships like the US, a joint article by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin noted
The United States will rely on diplomacy and a network of alliances around the world in its foreign policy under a Joe Biden administration, while strengthening its military, which is a “key source” of its strength. This is argued in a joint article published in The Washington Post on Sunday by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“Our alliances are what our military calls ‘force multipliers’. With them we can achieve far more than we could without them. No country in the world has a network of alliances and partnerships like ours. It would be a huge strategic mistake to neglect these alliances”, – the ministers said.
“As President [Joe] Biden has said, the United States will show leadership through diplomacy, as this is the most effective way to meet the challenges we face today <…>,” they noted. “At the same time, we will maintain the most powerful military in the world because it is a key source of strength for our country and our collective strength,” the two US ministry heads said.
“We will work hard to renew our alliances and make sure they are fit for purpose – to deal with threats and seize the opportunities of our time”, – they added.
The two heads of agencies wrote the article ahead of their trip to Japan and the Republic of Korea. They said they had chosen these countries for their first overseas visit as secretary of state and secretary of defence, in part because “the Indian and Pacific Ocean region is increasingly becoming the centre of global geopolitics”. In this regard, they said, US alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea are a guarantee of security for Washington.