The conservative think-tanks Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) recently announced the creation of the Project for the Common Defense. The project is comprised of independent volunteers who are “committed to national defense policies that are defined by strategic clarity and robust capabilities.” Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and include policymakers, analyst, and veterans. The project’s goal is to coordinate bipartisan efforts to keep America’s defenses strong.
On Wednesday, June 26th, the Heritage Foundation held an event launching the project. Speakers included former Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Sen. Ayotte currently sits on the Armed Services Committee, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Budget, as well as few others.
Sen. Kyl’s remarked that in today’s world, the U.S. has a hard time influencing global events. He pointed to the situation in Syria, Iran, and Russia’s refusal to extradite Eric Snowden as examples of the U.S.’s waning influence. “No one wants to work with us or is compelled to work with us,” he stated. Kyl posited that military capabilities are an integral part to wielding influence even if “seldom exercised.” After introducing Sen. Ayotte, Kyl finished his remarks by stating, “The Project for the Common Defense hopes to recreate the bipartisan consensus that we’ve had in the past for a strong national defense.”
Sen. Ayotte opened with a quote by the late Margaret Thatcher: “Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't.” She claimed that the current Administration has lacked a coherent national security strategy and praised the creation of this project and its future efforts to shape a strong strategy.
The Senator from New Hampshire had a lengthy list filled with national security concerns abroad and domestically. She extensively covered American strategic interests in Syria and what she believed the Obama Administrations missteps in region were. Sen. Ayotte also called for modernization of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. Above all, she stressed the paramount importance to U.S. national security of preventing a catastrophic attack on the homeland.
Defense spending used to be sacrosanct among most conservatives and Republicans. Today, many fiscal conservatives and Libertarian-leaning Republicans are happy with sequestration and deep cuts to defense. Conservative policymakers are divided between defense hawks and budget hawks. Perhaps this initiative could increase the likelihood of the creation of a new defense budget by bypassing the budget hawks in Congress.
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Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute Launch the Project for the Common Defense
July 8, 2013
The conservative think-tanks Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) recently announced the creation of the Project for the Common Defense. The project is comprised of independent volunteers who are “committed to national defense policies that are defined by strategic clarity and robust capabilities.” Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and include policymakers, analyst, and veterans. The project’s goal is to coordinate bipartisan efforts to keep America’s defenses strong.
On Wednesday, June 26th, the Heritage Foundation held an event launching the project. Speakers included former Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Sen. Ayotte currently sits on the Armed Services Committee, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Budget, as well as few others.
Sen. Kyl’s remarked that in today’s world, the U.S. has a hard time influencing global events. He pointed to the situation in Syria, Iran, and Russia’s refusal to extradite Eric Snowden as examples of the U.S.’s waning influence. “No one wants to work with us or is compelled to work with us,” he stated. Kyl posited that military capabilities are an integral part to wielding influence even if “seldom exercised.” After introducing Sen. Ayotte, Kyl finished his remarks by stating, “The Project for the Common Defense hopes to recreate the bipartisan consensus that we’ve had in the past for a strong national defense.”
Sen. Ayotte opened with a quote by the late Margaret Thatcher: “Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't.” She claimed that the current Administration has lacked a coherent national security strategy and praised the creation of this project and its future efforts to shape a strong strategy.
The Senator from New Hampshire had a lengthy list filled with national security concerns abroad and domestically. She extensively covered American strategic interests in Syria and what she believed the Obama Administrations missteps in region were. Sen. Ayotte also called for modernization of the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal. Above all, she stressed the paramount importance to U.S. national security of preventing a catastrophic attack on the homeland.
Defense spending used to be sacrosanct among most conservatives and Republicans. Today, many fiscal conservatives and Libertarian-leaning Republicans are happy with sequestration and deep cuts to defense. Conservative policymakers are divided between defense hawks and budget hawks. Perhaps this initiative could increase the likelihood of the creation of a new defense budget by bypassing the budget hawks in Congress.
