LEARN TO LEAD - Civil Air Patrol

12.2 National Security StrategyThe Administration of President Barack ObamaOBJECTIVES:6. List the enduring American interests as outlined in the National Security Strategy.7. Summarize the goals listed in the National Security Strategy related to Diplomacy.8. Summarize the goals listed in the National Security Strategy related to Strategic Communications.“More than at any point in human history—the interests of nations and peoples areshared. The religious convictions that wehold in our hearts can forge new bonds amongpeople, or tear us apart. The technology weharness can light the path to peace, or foreverdarken it. The energy we use can sustain ourplanet, or destroy it. What happens to thehope of a single child—anywhere—can enrichour world, or impoverish it.”—President Barack Obama,United Nations General Assembly, September 22, 2009The United States must renew its leadership in the worldby building and cultivating the sources of our strengthand influence. Our national security depends upon America’sability to leverage our unique national attributes, justas global security depends upon strong and responsibleAmerican leadership. That includes our military might,economic competitiveness, moral leadership, global engagement,and efforts to shape an international systemthat serves the mutual interests of nations and peoples.For the world has changed at an extraordinary pace, andthe United States must adapt to advance our interests andsustain our leadership.American interests are enduring. They are:• The security of the United States, its citizens, and U.S.allies and partners;• A strong, innovative, and growing U.S. economy in anopen international economic system that promotes opportunityand prosperity;• Respect for universal values at home and around theworld; and• An international order advanced by U.S. leadershipthat promotes peace, security, and opportunity throughstronger cooperation to meet global challenges.Currently, the United States is focused on implementing aresponsible transition as we end the war in Iraq, succeedingin Afghanistan, and defeating al-Qa’ida and its terroristaffiliates, while moving our economy from catastrophicrecession to lasting recovery. As we confront these crises,our national strategy must take a longer view. We mustbuild a stronger foundation for American leadership andwork to better shape the outcomes that are most fundamentalto our people in the 21st century.THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT—THE WORLD AS IT ISIn the two decades since the end of the Cold War, the freeflow of information, people, goods and services has acceleratedat an unprecedented rate. This interconnection hasempowered individuals for good and ill, and challengedstate based international institutions that were largelydesigned in the wake of World War II by policymakerswho had different challenges in mind. Nonstate actorscan have a dramatic influence on the world around them.Economic growth has alleviated poverty and led to newcenters of influence. More nations are asserting themselvesregionally and globally. The lives of our citizens—their safety and prosperity—are more bound than ever toevents beyond our borders.Within this environment, the attacks of September 11,2001, were a transformative event for the United States,demonstrating just how much trends far beyond our shorescould directly endanger the personal safety of the Americanpeople. The attacks put into sharp focus America’sposition as the sole global superpower, the dangers ofviolent extremism, and the simmering conflicts that followedthe peaceful conclusion of the Cold War. And theydrew a swift and forceful response from the United Statesand our allies and partners in Afghanistan. This responsewas followed by our decision to go to war in Iraq, and theensuing years have seen America’s forces, resources, andnational security strategy focused on these conflicts.The United States is now fighting two wars with manythousands of our men and women deployed in harm’s16