We are confronting an unprecedented moment of simultaneous and significant conflict in Europe and the Middle East, with increasing concern about potential flashpoints in East Asia. The U.S. military must ensure that, consistent with our National Security Strategy, it has the necessary capabilities to deter aggression, defend our vital national security interests, and, in close cooperation with our allies and partners, protect our shared democratic values. Two decades of counterterrorism operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere diverted resources away from investing in new and joint capabilities. Meanwhile, states like Russia and China studied how the U.S. military operates and have been modernizing their forces to challenge U.S. global leadership and the rules-based international order.
Our military must transform itself to prevail in the 21st century. This will require making tough choices on spending priorities and investments, not using continually increasing topline defense spending as a proxy for assessing defense needs. In addition, reducing waste in the budget process requires that the Department adopt acquisition reforms for rapidly allocating appropriated resources to meet national security goals, and that Congress seek to mitigate the harmful impacts of continuing resolutions. While recent defense budgets have reduced some spending on wasteful and outdated legacy systems in favor of modernization, a broader rebalancing is needed.
Defense spending is one of a range of tools the United States needs to meet its national security requirements. Protecting our national security requires investing not only in our military capabilities but also in the diverse tools of statecraft for managing our international interests, and a renewed focus on the foundations of our strength here at home. The last decade has seen significant percentage increases in defense spending, while investments to build capacity in diplomacy, development, military personnel, and other programs for meeting transnational security challenges have not kept pace. Meanwhile, annual appropriations to address the existential threat of the climate crisis at home and abroad continue to fall short. Department of Defense spending must not crowd out these other investments in the U.S. toolkit for carrying out our national security strategy.
