A Time for Choosing – Will We Ensure an American-Led 21st Century?

2022-04-26T17:57:47-04:00

NOW is a time for choosing.

Will we allow the 21st century to be Chinese-led or will we ensure the 21st century is American led?

We are now deeply engaged in a global, philosophical debate – a debate so consequential that it will not only decide how the world is organized but also the United States’ role in it.

This, at its core, is a debate between authoritarianism and democracy. And it is technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship that again will help settle this debate. In fact, there is precedent with respect to technology’s unique role in the philosophical debates at other times in history.

For example, during World War II, the United States and the West were locked in a war to determine whether the future would be fascist or free. At that time, it was the atomic bomb, radar, jet engines, Alan Turing’s Bombe and Deliliah machines – among other technologies – that helped determine the outcome of the war – and, by extension, this debate.

During the Cold War, innovative technology brought us to outer space and led us through an arms race to determine the outcome of another philosophical debate between communism and democracy.

In each of these examples, technology was key to settling these global, philosophical debates.

Today, we again find ourselves locked in a global, philosophical debate between modern authoritarians the likes of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin and democrats in the West. And, like World War II and the Cold War, it will be technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship that will again help us settle this philosophical debate.

The problem is we have neither committed to fully engaging in this debate nor are we acquiring the innovative technology necessary to win the debate.

Our country has not yet decided whether to transform the interaction between our government and commercial technology sectors for radical engagement. The objective of such a transformation should be the development, acquisition, and adoption of the new and emerging innovative technologies required to compete and overtake China’s civilian-military fusion – a Chinese effort to build its national power with the objective of rewriting international rules and norms and overtaking the United States as the leading country in the world.

Luckily, China’s efforts and objectives have gotten the attention of our national leaders.

In the 2018 National Defense Strategy, the Trump Administration wrote:

“We are facing increased global disorder, characterized by decline in the long-standing rules-based international order—creating a security environment more complex and volatile than any we have experienced in recent memory. Inter-state strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the primary concern in U.S. national security…”

“China is a strategic competitor using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors while militarizing features in the South China Sea. Russia has violated the borders of nearby nations and pursues veto power over the economic, diplomatic, and security decisions of its neighbors…”

“This increasingly complex security environment is defined by rapid technological change…”

More recently, we see the Biden Administration share this perspective in its March 2021 Interim Strategic Guidance:

“We face a world of rising nationalism, receding democracy, growing rivalry with China, Russia, and other authoritarian states, and a technological revolution that is reshaping every aspect of our lives.”

Moreover, during speech at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California in December 2021, Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, laid out the stakes:

“…President Biden has said that we are in ‘stiff competition’ with the People’s Republic of China. And as he’s made clear, Beijing is the only competitor ‘capable of combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system…’”

“…the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party have been increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction with the prevailing order—and about their aim of displacing America from its global leadership role…”

“China’s President, Xi Jinping, regularly talks about ‘great changes unseen in the world in a century.’ And he recently assured his fellow Party members that ‘time and momentum are on China’s side.’”

“…China’s military is on pace to become a peer competitor to the United States in Asia—and, eventually, around the world. China’s leaders are expanding their ability to project force and to establish a global network of military bases.”

The Secretary then went on describe the new technological areas in which the competition will manifest and the risks therein:

“…new areas of competition in space and cyberspace, where the norms of behavior aren’t well-established and the risks of escalation and miscalculation are high…”

“China is pouring state funds into key sectors, including quantum research. And Beijing is pursuing what its leaders call ‘indigenous innovation’ to cut its reliance on imports. And all that is fueling swift advances in PRC technology, with significant implications for China’s military.”

Secretary Austin’s prescribed solution in this speech included drawing on “all tools of national power to meet the China challenge.”

I would respectfully amend Austin’s prescription: We must draw of all tools of national and societal power to meet the challenge from China – not only our military, economic, diplomatic power – but also our “people power.”

Our “people power” will be achieved when our technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs are able to work in a virtually seamless environment with our government. A “sandbox-safe space” where the government and the private sector can be creative and unconstrained by the typical bureaucratic rules of government.

But, at present, the government and the commercial sector are all-too-often at arms-length. And, by extension, our “people power” is siloed – not only physically from one-another – but also culturally – thereby, rendering it ineffective.

Deputy Secretary of Defense, Dr. Kathleen Hicks, recently traveled to Silicon Valley. Secretary Hicks is a thoughtful leader who wanted to hear from technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs about their experience working with the US government – and, more specifically, the Department of Defense. Secretary Hicks heard the “horror stories” and acknowledged that there was not a “magical fix,” stating:

“My view isn't like, I'm going to magically unlock special secret approaches that haven't been touched before…I think it's more about how you start to shift the incentives."

Secretary Hicks hit the proverbial nail on the head. It isn’t going to be “magic.” But it is not only about incentives.

What it’s about is value proposition.

It is about ensuring there is a strong value proposition for technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to deeply engage with the US government. And the only way to understand one’s unique and differentiated value proposition – no matter the range of stakeholders – from the government, to universities, to the private sector – is through working together in an applied way on a critical public problem.

Not talking at each other.

Or even listening to one-another.

What it takes is doing.

Working together in an applied way and on real-world problems – at scale.

And that is what programs like Hacking for Defense (H4D), a program sponsored by National Security Innovation Network at the Department of Defense, do.

H4D is not only a strategic innovation capability for the US Department of Defense but increasingly also for our partners and allies in the United Kingdom and Australia. It uniquely convenes the government, universities, and the private sector around critical public problems.

Through the core method in the program, each of these stakeholders conduct deep, purposeful discovery to learn over time: (1) How they can uniquely contribute to the true nature of the problem and (2) How they can help solve the problem.

In doing so, what we see is not “magic” but, instead, the hard work of problem-solving.

H4D and other such “Hacking for” programs are not just a convening event – in fact, they are a whole-of-society innovation capability to solve problems.

Call it 21st century problem-solving.

This model can be our version of societal fusion that holds the potential of overtaking China’s “civ-mil” fusion.

Indeed, this type of abductive-oriented, analytical approach can help us solve our problems in ways that may not yet have been considered or tried. It allows us to get ahead of uncertainty and incomplete information – the known unknowns as well as the unknown unknowns – to envision a way forward and leverage the minimum number of resources necessary to create new solutions that may not have been thought of before.

This is much better than the government and Silicon Valley continuing to simply talk at each other. It is also much better than the listening tours that have gotten a lot of attention but have produced little result.

This is doing.

Which will get us much closer to where we need to be – faster – before it is too late.

We must find new ways to solve our problems and create new technology to settle this new, modern philosophical debate between authoritarianism and democracy.

If we don’t, our world will look much different for ourselves, our children, and beyond.

So…

What do you choose?

Alex Gallo is the Executive Director of the Common Mission Project, a Visiting Fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, and an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is also a US Army Veteran.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Apr 26 at 2022 5:59 PM

2022-04-26T17:59:29-04:00

We can't even lead ourselves. Who would want to follow?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2022 6:39 PM

2022-04-26T18:39:06-04:00

At this time, we haven't enough president that makes President Ford and President Carter look like superheroes. If this President focuses on climate change when Russia is threatening nukes against Sweden and Finland if they join NATO, I think climate change can be put on the back-burner permanently especially if we have a limited nuclear war. Unfortunately, the president has bought into the radical leftist faction of the party that a recent Democrat in the White House wrote a book saying that the squad of Omar, Talib and radical AOC are freaking idiots foxtrot idiots. If this President is following them, we will never be able to focus on what you're talking about.

Also, this President keeps dismantling our oil and energy industry. He thinks climate change is the number one threat and he takes money away from defense and puts it toward other departments. In the last budget, he's getting a 4% increase to defense when we have a 10% inflation yet he's giving a 15% increase to a few other Federal departments that are helping with climate change.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/110223-nuclear-war-winter-global-warming-environment-science-climate-change.

Would you have and administration is pushing critical race theory in the military and an every federal department, there is no way that we will ever be able to do things ethically with a president that is in need of being removed from office.

110223-nuclear-war-winter-global-warming-environment-science-climate-change.

Response by SMSgt Anil Heendeniya made Apr 26 at 2022 7:01 PM

2022-04-26T19:01:19-04:00

We are certainly at a serious crossroads or decision point. We must work on unity within or we will fall together.

Response by LTC Ray Buenteo made Apr 26 at 2022 7:25 PM

2022-04-26T19:25:47-04:00

It’s hard for america to lead when leadership in America is filled with followers.

Response by CWO4 Terrence Clark made Apr 26 at 2022 7:25 PM

2022-04-26T19:25:54-04:00

Excellent essay. In the abstract, every line stirs patriotic blood. How is that translated into deck plate actions?

Efficient application of technology requires a society that is at least unified in goal and shares a vision of the future. Beginning with the end in mind, to coin a phrase, what are the concrete, lineal steps to take us from our divided present to a unified whole with shared values and vision?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2022 7:27 PM

2022-04-26T19:27:34-04:00

And an interesting perspective from —> Di Dongsheng, professor of international relations at Renmin University.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh9r-MBkcVM

Watch: Chinese professor claims Beijing can swing US policy

US President Donald Trumphas tweeted a video of a Chinese professor suggesting thatChinahas managed to influence U.S. policy for decades thanks to a speci...

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2022 10:36 PM

2022-04-26T22:36:29-04:00

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Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Apr 27 at 2022 9:35 AM

2022-04-27T09:35:27-04:00

With countries of the world considering our leadership a joke, guess we'll see. Many national leaders won't even take a call from Biden, that shows how they think.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 28 at 2022 12:02 PM

2022-04-28T12:02:55-04:00

While we are supposed to be the leaders of the free world, we are currently not leading most anything.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2022 1:22 AM

2022-04-30T01:22:12-04:00

Technology doesn't have the capability to leverage our harness our "people power." What does it mean to be American and why should the world care? ... when every American can really behind the answer, then we can employ technology and innovation to harness our "people power." As it stands, we have some authoritarianism sprinkled in key places of our democratic Republic that impedes our ability to do so.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 30 at 2022 2:01 PM

2022-04-30T14:01:24-04:00

I am going discuss strategic implications of war. Do you know what an RMA is? Do you know the US National Powers? I would rather this thread becomes educational. To state we have not been innovative with technology is just wrong.

Some 155 howitzer rounds are guided by GPS or they seek target autonomously. The army wants those 155 rounds to intercept incoming missiles. The Ukrainians are beating the Russians with Javelins, Stingers, and Drones. These 3 weapons systems are Revolution In Military Affairs (RMA). An RMA gives a military a distinct advantage. We are improving laser weapons and developing hypersonic missiles. All this is technology driven. To say otherwise is wrong. The Ukraine war is a proving ground of our technology.

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made Apr 30 at 2022 3:11 PM

2022-04-30T15:11:59-04:00

We cannot even agree what our problems are. How are we supposed to solve them and work together?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 2 at 2022 3:44 PM

2022-05-02T15:44:03-04:00

Not pursuing future technology is bullshit. We are experimenting with precision 155 rounds that might even destroy planes in flight. It is a mad dash to develop hypersonic missiles that go Mach 5+. However, we need the technology to defend against enemy hypersonic missiles. Laser weapons are improving. I believe we are working on the next generation of fighter planes. The AF has large bombs that splits open, and 200 cluster bombs fall to the ground as they autonomously seek military vehicles. Those bombs can create havoc.

Let's back track a bit. The Stingers, Javelins, and Drones are making a significant positive impact for Ukraine. Were those weapons made in a vacuum? No. We gave private industry the requirements of the weapons and they were built. They in itself were innovations through technology and conceptualizing what would be needed in current and future wars.

There is not enough innovation? Well bullshit again. We have created a Space Force and I fully expect the branch to integrate with other military branches.

So, I reject this article because the true state of affairs is not illuminated in the article.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made May 3 at 2022 4:35 AM

2022-05-03T04:35:46-04:00

Lots of fear on China and lots of people stating they will overtake us Economically someday but......the date is never fixed, it keeps pushing back and back and never arrives. I remember it used to be 2020 when China would overtake us. Now we are told it is sometime in the 2030's or 2040's. Personally, I don't think it will ever happen. Nor do I think China will ever lead the world.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made May 7 at 2022 7:33 AM

2022-05-07T07:33:30-04:00

Unfortunately, we are currently led by the incompetent and the insane.

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made May 8 at 2022 1:20 PM

2022-05-08T13:20:19-04:00

Once again, I will say, we cannot even agree on what the problems are, much less come together to solve them. We are too busy attacking each other.
Please remember:
Neither side hates America.
Neither side wants to destroy our nation.
Neither side is the enemy.
Neither side is right all the time.
Neither side has a monopoly on lies.

If we cannot even agree on those few comments, then we certainly are doomed.

Response by SGT Wayne Dunn made May 20 at 2022 11:06 AM

2022-05-20T11:06:26-04:00

Must be American lead

Response by A1C Anthony Sullivan made May 23 at 2022 4:20 PM

2022-05-23T16:20:37-04:00

It can not be done when we consider other Americans, the 'Enemy".

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2022 1:26 PM

2022-05-25T13:26:47-04:00

What do you mean "allow" the current powers in the US gov is actively helping to undermine every aspect of US dominance. Including our SecDef.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 19 at 2022 6:59 PM

2022-06-19T18:59:12-04:00

It's not ineffective. It is inefficient sometimes. It's easy to say yes let's use innovation and technology and that will solve all the problems. One of the problems is looking into future wars and predicting what technology we need vs what technology will the enemy have. We are going in the right direction in respect to precision weapons that are shoulder fired, drones, artillery, MLRS, lasers, long-range missiles, etc. The Russians are learning this the hard way. On the flipside, how do we defend against these threats if the enemy has them?

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Jun 19 at 2022 8:55 PM

2022-06-19T20:55:20-04:00

Absolutely LOVE Your Article.
It's A BEAUTY For Sure.
But I Think You May Have Inadvertently Left Out An Important Factor.
That Of Americas Lack Of True Education.
We Don't Have It On ANY Level; K-12 + The PhD's We Produce & Turn Loose On The Unsuspecting Public & Employers Alike......
Here's Just a Couple Of Examples:
After 13 Years Of Attending School To Achieve A High School Diploma,
I'll Bet There's Not One Single Person Reading This,
Whom Even Was Taught To Balance Their Own Check Book, Unless They Took An Elective Program Designed For That Purpose.
How About Anything At All About Finances? Employment, Earning, Investments, The Advantages Of Purchasing Property Or Renting Your Home?
These Are Important Factors In Your Life To Know, Yet NOT Taught In Our Schools.
In The End, Who Gives A Crap About Learning To Bounce A Ball & Toss It Through A Hoop.?
Chances Of Making A Living At It Are About ZERO.

And Ask Yourself THIS:
"Once I Completed The 6th GRADE,
What Did I Learn Of Value, And Useful To My Life, Up Through & Including Graduation From The 12th Grade"?
That's 50% Of The YEARS You Sat In A Chair In School.
Was It Worth Those Added 6 Years?
If You're Curious Of WHY I Feel This Way, Please Feel Free To View My Bio.

Response by SGT John Prolo made Jun 27 at 2022 4:04 PM

2022-06-27T16:04:57-04:00

The military was lost as soon as they let mental illness into the ranks. The government has used the military as a "petri" dish.

Response by SP5 Wick Humble made Jul 25 at 2022 8:33 PM

2022-07-25T20:33:28-04:00

Well, it' good to know who to blame, huh? All those selfish and predatory non-democracys; shame on them! In reality, we're to blame: arrogant, selfish, grasping, argumentative, hypocritical, and spoiled rotten! I'm not sure my parent's generation was the 'greatest', but we can't claim any honors since then, can we? Really? Get this: Americans today won't -- or can't -- negotiate and compromise even enough to save our wonderful country, and that's the whole story. Would you believe that MAD Magazine ran a whole feature on the un-able future -- in 1954?! Glad I'm 77, I guess. Wick

Response by SGT Doug Blanchard made Jul 27 at 2022 9:53 PM

2022-07-27T21:53:20-04:00

Like the old saying goes, "shit rolls downhill". In this case it starts with commie Joe, then camel toe Harris, to pig losi. The head of the Joint Chiefs is an alpha kilo. The idiot that is the sec. of defense is just as bad. He reminds me of the one that was in office when oblamo was potus and the b.s. policies he came up with to tie our troops hands in combat.
The current potus is out to turn this once great nation into a third world country, especially with his open border policy concerning our southern border. Giving the benefits we earned as Veterans to illegals in this country. Giving them social security benefits, that they have not earned or deserve
Biden and Harris both, along with Pelosi need to be removed from office. Biden is not running this country, he is nothing but a puppet. Imo he no longer has enough brain power left to pour piss out of a boot with the instructions printed on the heal.

Response by MSG Paul L made Sep 14 at 2022 5:02 PM

2022-09-14T17:02:43-04:00

Sadly, with the election of President Biden and other socialists it seems we are to be socialist country going forward. There won't be money for cradle to grave socialism and also the world's preeminent military power and world's "policeman". But of course that is part of the leftists objective.

Response by MSG Paul L made Sep 14 at 2022 5:18 PM

2022-09-14T17:18:38-04:00

There are too many politicians taking Chinese money. Too many American companies and institutions of higher learning dependant on CCP cash as well. We even have sitting politicians that have employed or have had prolonged "affairs" with Chinese spys that still sit on critical Congressional committees. It even sounds like the President's son is involved with Cinese companies with CCP ties. I don't know how we clean up this mess?

Response by 1SG Mark Rodgers made Nov 9 at 2022 8:06 AM

2022-11-09T08:06:02-05:00

You're sorely mistaken on many fronts about life, liberty, and the pursuits of the modern war fighter.
Mr Austin is one of the finest generals I served under during war time. He was ready for command before command was thrust upon him as Lt General Vines retreated, 10th Mntn Div Task Force, Afghanistan 2003, due to medical concerns. Then General Austin took the reins, went up 3 stars in a little over 3 yrs.
I stood in a conference room as General Austin walked into the room for a briefing on the Corps of Engineers mission in 2007. The first thing I saw him do was note I was wearing the 10th Mntn patch on my right arm. He knew...